I just read a great analytical article about how social movements have changed the way people respond to government actions. Comparing the Kent State incident in 1970 and Minneapolis in 2026 reveals an interesting point: freedom of speech has evolved completely differently.

56 years ago, when National Guard soldiers shot protesting students in Ohio, most people blamed the students themselves. Information was tightly controlled, with only static images and blurry videos. But a few months ago in Minneapolis, when federal agents shot protesters, the reaction was entirely the opposite. The majority of the public sided with the protesters.

Why the difference? Partly because of the amendment—specifically the First Amendment on free speech and assembly. But more importantly, technology. In 1970, students had to rely on official media to spread their message. Now, everyone has smartphones, social media, and livestreams. The protests in Minneapolis were recorded in detail from multiple angles and spread rapidly.

The author notes that the protest song "Ohio" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young took a month to release in 1970, while "Streets of Minneapolis" by Springsteen was released in just 4 days and became a global number one within 2 days. The internet allows information to spread in real time.

The beauty here is that the amendment on free speech not only protects the right to speak but also the right to record, share, and react. In Minneapolis, people used these rights effectively. They didn’t just protest—they recorded, shared video evidence, and created public pressure.

As a result, the government had to back down. The immigration enforcement campaign in Minneapolis was halted, charges against victims were dropped, and ICE’s budget was cut. This is the power of free speech when combined with modern technology.

I find this article quite insightful. It shows that amendments and freedoms are not just words on paper—they have real meaning when people know how to use them. In Minneapolis, the people proved that.