Blog
Free to Tweet Contest Update
- By: ASNE staff
- On: 12/17/2012 16:39:03
- In: First Amendment
More than 3,600 people nationwide participated in the second annual Free to Tweet scholarship
competition, a 15-day online celebration of First Amendment rights.Students entered to win one of five $5,000 scholarships by tweeting a message of support — using the hashtag #FreeToTweet — for the First Amendment. A panel of educators and First Amendment experts are reviewing the entries, and winners will be announced in January. Updates on the event can be followed on Twitter at @FreeToTweet2012.
Sample tweets from the competition (not necessarily winners):
“The First Amendment applies to all speech, no matter how offensive; just because you don't like it doesn't mean you can stifle it.”
“Without the freedom of press I wouldn't be able to research the colleges I want to go to.”
“I would like to thank my founding fathers for giving me the chance to speak in a world where people don't always listen.”
“Gather together. Stand together. Together let's make a change.”
“If you are unhappy with your government, you have the right to demand change. So many take the right of petition for granted.”
The initiative is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and organized by 1 for All, an educational and public service campaign that builds understanding of the First Amendment and its five distinct freedoms: speech, press, religion, assembly and petition. The American Society of News Editors is one of the founding partners in the 1 for All campaign. The Newseum, the First Amendment Center and Patch also supported the competition.
News organizations helped promote the campaign, including the Cincinnati Enquirer's republication of the full Bill of Rights.