This document contains a former student's reflections on lessons learned from their government course. It discusses their views that the NSA should be allowed to collect basic metadata as long as they do not listen to phone calls. They also express the importance of the first amendment, which guarantees freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and the right to petition. The student notes they will carry what they learned about the constitution and government processes with them beyond this course.

1. Hello, I am a former Grayson College
graduate (May 2013). I am continuing my
education in the hopes of attaining my
Bachelor’s Degree in Science & Nursing. I am
26 years old and learning is my passion. I
believe that when you stop learning, you
die. Also, I am a Democrat at heart.

2. The right to vote is something that excites many people in our society.
We should be so lucky as to be a voter and shape the country that we
live in to be parallel with the norms of our ideal society. I like to vote
because I want to know that I did the best that I could do to make sure
our country’s values align with my own. I would like equality rights to
remain the same and for them not to be taken away from U.S. Citizens.
I would also like the U.S. to implement more rigid standards for when it
comes to who can run for President.

3. I learned that there is a Legislative, Judicial, and Executive Branch, and
that they all they perform checks and balances on each other.
I did not realized that George Washington had four people for the
positions in his Presidential Cabinet. It made me realize how truly small
our government was and how much we have grown as a nation.
I also learned that a bill can be passed by a president even if he does
not sign it.

4. Should the NSA (National Security Agency) be allowed to collect basic metadata of
citizen’s phone calls such as numbers, timestamps, and call durations?
According to our government, they believe that it is important that
they be able to collect this basic data to protect our country from
Terrorists. I think that it is okay that they are doing this as long as they
do not chime into people’s phone conversations. Some might argue
that this crosses private boundaries and should not be legal. I believe
that what they do right now is okay so long as they are not lying and
actually listening to people’s conversations. It is important that our
future knows that they have a sliver of privacy left in this country that
belongs to them and only them. Everyone wants privacy and comfort.

5. The MOST IMPORTANT Amendment?
HINT: (THE FIRST ONE)
The first Amendment to the Constitution is: Freedom of religion,
speech, the press, assembly, and petition.
Without this Amendment, we as citizens of the U.S. could be
sanctioned because we spoke against the government’s wishes, used
press, assembled, or petitioned. We would not be able to express
ourselves and do anything we wanted to do without worrying if we
were going to go to prison for it.

6. What are a few lessons you have learned about our
government processes this semester that you will
carry with you beyond this course?
I learned about many of the Amendments of the Constitution, and why
they were placed into effect. I also learned that we as a nation are
lucky to have such a wonderful government, and that many other
nations have taken our nation’s government as blueprints for their own
country. In a way, our country set an example for other nations, and we
must strive to make that example one that is respectful. I will carry
forward what I learned in this course by not forgetting what I learned,
and making sure not to repeat mistakes that our government has made
in the past. I will continue to vote as well, now that I know more about
how our government works.