The correct answer is that The first step in writing a critical essay is to C. select a topic.
Explanation:
It is just plain common sense: when you want to write a critical essay you must first choose the topic or the work you are going to analyze and criticize. If you don't select a topic, you don't know which kind of evidence you must find, you don't even have a primary or secondary bibliography.
Once you select a topic you will know which direction you should go, which bibliography you should choose and you can formulate your arguments on the source materials.
Suddenly disappear. That conveys the thought that something so dramatic happened to society that the first amendment is gone. That should stir every American into finding out what this sentence is about. The first amendment is the backbone of American Democracy and should not ever be ignored.