--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I begin to feel like I was in the last…" description: "\"I begin to feel like I was in the last generation of Americans who took a civics class. I begin to feel like most Americans don't understand the First ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/roger-ebert-655_amendments_i-begin-to-feel-like-i-was-in-the-last-g_3202617.jpg" --- # I begin to feel like I was in the last generation of… ![“I begin to feel like I was in the last generation of Americans who took a civics class. I begin to feel like most Americans don't understand the First Amendment, don't understand the idea of freedom of speech, and don't understand that it's the responsibility of the citizen to speak out.” quote by Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/roger-ebert-655_amendments_i-begin-to-feel-like-i-was-in-the-last-g_3202617.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/roger-ebert-655_amendments_i-begin-to-feel-like-i-was-in-the-last-g_3202617.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/roger-ebert-655_amendments_i-begin-to-feel-like-i-was-in-the-last-g_3202617.jpg) > “I begin to feel like I was in the last generation of Americans who took a civics class. I begin to feel like most Americans don't understand the First Amendment, don't understand the idea of freedom of speech, and don't understand that it's the responsibility of the citizen to speak out.” [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that many Americans lack basic knowledge of the First Amendment and the duty to speak up for freedoms. **In simple terms:** People often don’t know their speech rights or civic duty. Key Takeaway Educate yourself and others about free speech responsibilities. Themes civic education free speech citizen responsibility political awareness Mood concerned motivated reflective Type advice observational call to action When to use this quote - high school civics class - college freshman orientation - community town hall meeting - media literacy workshop - political campaign training Key Concepts first amendment civic duty democratic participation Questions to Reflect On - How can we improve civic knowledge in schools? - What actions can individuals take to protect free speech? A Different Perspective The statement may overgeneralize; not all Americans are uninformed, and some are actively engaged. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amendments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendments/) [Civics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civics/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [First amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-amendment/) [Freedom of speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-speech/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) ## Related quotes > [I begin to feel like I was in the last generation of Americans who took a civics class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-begin-to-feel-like-i-was-in-the-last-generation-of-americans-who/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [If you don't know the difference between dictatorship and leadership then you got to go back to a fifth grade civics class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/if-you-don-t-know-the-difference-between-dictatorship-and-leadership/) [Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/) > [I begin to feel like most Americans don't understand the First Amendment, don't understand the idea of freedom of speech, and don't understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-begin-to-feel-like-most-americans-don-t-understand-the-first/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [A lot of us were worried that the secular fabric of the country was under threat and it was time that citizens begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aparna-sen/a-lot-of-us-were-worried-that-the-secular-fabric-of-the-country-was/) [Aparna Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aparna-sen/) > [As an artist I come to sing, but as a citizen, I will always speak for peace, and no one can silence me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-robeson/as-an-artist-i-come-to-sing-but-as-a-citizen-i-will-always-speak-for/) [Paul Robeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-robeson/) > [Being a musician doesn't take away your right as a citizen to speak your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/being-a-musician-doesn-t-take-away-your-right-as-a-citizen-to-speak/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [Using the language of heroism, calling Daniel Ellsberg a hero, and calling the other people who made great sacrifices heroes - even though what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/using-the-language-of-heroism-calling-daniel-ellsberg-a-hero-and/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The current economic climate means getting out of college is no guarantee of getting a job, and no guarantee of a satisfying work life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/the-current-economic-climate-means-getting-out-of-college-is-no/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [There is a mysterious cycle in human events. 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Robert Horvitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-robert-horvitz/) > [It is up to us, to this present generation of Americans, to take a stand for freedom, to send a message to Washington that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/it-is-up-to-us-to-this-present-generation-of-americans-to-take-a/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [I feel bad for the kids that are in school right now and the young people all across America who don't realize that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/i-feel-bad-for-the-kids-that-are-in-school-right-now-and-the-young/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) ## More by Roger Ebert > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [It is an interesting law of romance that a truly strong woman will choose a strong man who disagrees with her over a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-an-interesting-law-of-romance-that-a-truly-strong-woman-will/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I am, beneath everything else, a fan. I was fixed in this mode as a young boy and am awed by people who take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-am-beneath-everything-else-a-fan-i-was-fixed-in-this-mode-as-a/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“We’d had a revelation. 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