America‒the land of the free‒a place where democracy and freedom ring through the streets and penetrate every corner in the nation. A place where students and citizens alike are free to protest and express their opinions freely, safe from harm. A place full of opportunity to explore a career and begin a new life. 

Hong Kong, a place striving to be like the US in these terms, is fighting for what we have here in the United States. The Hong Kong protests began in March, stemming from the introduction of an extradition bill in April of 2019 that would have allowed for Hong Kong citizens to be sent to mainland Communist China to be tried in court. Since then, it has expanded to a greater movement towards general democracy in Hong Kong, separate from China.

As citizens and students here in the United States, it is important for us to recognize what students in Hong Kong are fighting for, and what we take for granted. Hong Kong students have been in the streets of the city protesting straight for months, not stopping their demands for democracy and justice from the Chinese Government. It seems incredulous to us to not be able to express our opinions freely, and not be able to stand up for what we believe in as students, but it is because of what we are guaranteed here as citizens in the United States. Ensured to us by a document we call the Constitution, written over 230 years ago, we are free to express our opinions and embrace democracy, free from injustice against our government. These are rights we use every single day, and largely take for granted simply because of how interwoven they are into our nation. Students and citizens in Hong Kong are fighting for the same things we have guaranteed to us here in the United States, and are devoting their entire lives to a larger international movement affecting students across the world. 

“I think [the Hong Kong protests] are a great demonstration of people fighting for what is right and for a better future,” said junior Kenzie Chase.

Because of our rights here in the United States allowing us to freely express ourselves and support democracy, and how Hong Kong students are fighting for the same things we have protected in our country, it is imperative for us to recognize what they are fighting for and why we should be grateful of our rights in our country.