• Exercising the freedom of speech at the Michigan state capitol.

UPDATE: LANSING - Imagine America without the freedom of speech. So we ask ourselves, how important is the first amendment?

One Lansing resident explains.

"I think it's very important that people should be able to say who they feel. I understand that sometimes it can be touchy and sometimes it can hurt others' feelings and what not, but just the freedom to be able to be creative and express themselves in the way that they want to I think is very important."

America is the land of the free, and for many people the freedom of speech is the most important right we have.

Mark Meadows, State Representative for the 69th House District agrees.

"There's a reason it's the first amendment. It is the most important amendment under most circumstances, for most people in the United States because it guarantees freedom of speech and religion in our country," Meadows said.

Although we reserve our first amendment right, the freedom of speech is not always gracefully accepted by others.

This year a state representative had her freedom of speech right revoked after voicing her opinion on the new abortion laws.

Indeed, the freedom of speech can be taken advantage of.

"The right to say anything you want as long as it doesn't impact the safety of another individual. So you don't have the right to yell 'fire' in a crowded theater, but you do have a right to go out and express your opinion on any political view of any kind, at any place, at any time," Meadows said.

Since the constitution guides most aspects of our daily lives, amending the document isn't a quick process.

"When you look at the amendment process, it has always been reactive. In other words, a problem is out there and we need to correct that," Meadows said.

ORIGINAL STORY: LANSING - Tune in to HOMTV for a special feature show on Constitution Week and see how the first amendment affects your daily life!