Eight Values of Free Expression

 Eight Values of Free Expression

1. Marketplace of Ideas

John Milton said that letting all ideas compete helps the truth come out stronger. When people can discuss freely, they find out what is true. I believe that this is a great way to help collaborate through ideas. According to David Schultz, he states, “This concept draws on an analogy to the economic marketplace, where, it is claimed, through economic competition superior products sell better than others.” Just like in a marketplace where better products are more successful because they compete against each other, the same idea applies to ideas and opinions. When different ideas are allowed to compete, the stronger or better ideas will become more popular or accepted over time. This stands out to me because I am a strong believer of talking through things and letting everyone be heard, so this is important to me. 

2. Participation in Self Government

Alexander Meiklejohn believed that for democracy to work, citizens need access to information. If they can’t hear different opinions, they can’t make good choices in elections. This stood out to me because it talks about how citizens need to be educated on all points of views before voting in elections. According to Center for Civic Education, they state, “We should be sure the people we "hire" (elect) can do the job we are hiring them for. Once they get the job, we should keep an eye on them to make sure they are doing that job. If they do a good job, we may not watch them as closely. If they do a bad job, we may watch them very closely and may even decide to replace them.” They compare electing a president like hiring someone for a job. I believe this is the perfect comparison because I also strongly believe that the people of America need to have a say on who will be running America. The government cannot speak for every single American, so that is why this is important.

3. Promote Tolerance

Lee Bollinger said that protecting all speech, even hateful speech, teaches society about tolerance. Discussing difficult topics helps people understand why some views are harmful. This stands out to me because I agree that having a discussion about it instead of hiding from it teaches us tolerance for these harmful speeches. Since speech is not an action, society has the right to say whatever they want. Because of this, we need to have tolerance. Freedom of speech is a fundamental right, and even when people express harmful or unpopular views, it is protected by law, as long as it is not a threat. According to Ryan T. Anderson, he states, “The United States is a pluralistic society. To protect that pluralism and the rights of all Americans, of whatever faith they may practice, religious-liberty laws are good policy. Liberals committed to tolerance should embrace them.” He is saying that the United States has many different cultures, beliefs, and religions. To protect this diversity and everyone’s rights, laws supporting religious freedom are important. It suggests that people who care about tolerance should support these laws so everyone can practice their beliefs freely. 

The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court

What did I learn?

One thing that I learned was how cases are chosen for review. I learned that the Supreme Court gets thousands of petitions each year but only hears a small number. I was surprised to find out that at least four justices need to agree to hear a case, which shows how the Court works together. This makes sense to me because there needs to be multiple people hearing a case so that there are different perspectives and not just one person is the one making decisions. 

What is the most important take-away point about the Supreme Court?

The most important takeaway about the Supreme Court is that it interprets the Constitution and shapes U.S. laws. I also found it interesting how much commitment is needed for this role. I thought it was interesting that the justices don’t push their opinions, they just ask questions to encourage a conversation. The Supreme court has so many roles and everyone in those roles plays a huge part. The video says “Marshall wrote, we must never forget it is a constitution we are expounding.” This shows that justices have a responsibility to make sure their decisions reflect the Constitution's values and protect people's rights. These are all very important and stood out to me the most.

What was the most surprising thing you learned?

The most surprising thing I learned was how politics can affect the Supreme Court's decisions. I didn't know that appointing justices could change the Court's direction and influence important rulings. The video showed how changes in the Court's members led to big changes in laws and rights. I never realized how much power they held to make these decision. This made me realize that the Court's work isn't just about the law but also about politics. There is a lot more things that they are in charge of that I didn't even know. This changes my perspective on the Supreme Court because now I view them as working through diverse conflicts instead of only law. 

How did the video change the way you thought of the Supreme Court?

The video changed how I think about the Supreme Court by showing me its important role in shaping laws and society. I used to see it as just judges making legal decisions and this was their only purpose, but now I understand that the Court interprets the Constitution and protects people’s rights. I also learned that politics can influence its decisions, which makes its role more complex. The video showed me that the Supreme Court does a lot more than I had originally thought. 

Top 5 Sources

Top Five Sources of News and Information

Finding reliable news sources are significant when gathering information about what is happening in today's society. It is important that the news is unbiased and trustworthy. Currently, fake news is always present, which is why reliable sources are needed. Utilizing news that is trustworthy will help our society stay informed. The news sources we choose to listen to can shape our perspectives. Personally, I use five sources that help me stay informed. These popular sources help keep everyone up to date with current issues. 

1. CNN

I rely on CNN for a good portion of my news. In High School, everyday we would watch CNN10 which would be very informative. Ever since then, I have used CNN to answer any questions I have about what events are going on in the world. CNN is reliable because it uses experts to gather their information. They fact check and use multiple credible sources to show their information. I use CNN when I want to know about a global political events that are happening.

2. Google

I rely on Google for news because it makes it easy to find a variety of sources all in one place. It shows different viewpoints on stories and provides real time updates on breaking news, which helps me stay current and up to date with news. Google is one of the most popular websites to find information on. I love that I can quickly search up any question I have, and it will give me a direct answer. Google often connects to reliable news sources, which helps me find credible sources. 

3. Tik Tok

I rely on TikTok for news because it has quick, engaging videos that make information easy to understand. I often find myself learning about important topics without even searching for them, as videos pop up randomly on my feed, keeping me informed about current issues. TikTok plays a vital role in this generation. Creators are constantly making videos to inform and engage the young audience. Since TikTok is a form of entertainment, it makes it easy to keep their audience engaged while also sharing current events with the audience. TikTok also has a variety of creators that have different beliefs, so it is always helpful for me to follow someone who shares similar views with me.

4. Instagram

I rely on Instagram for news because it has quick updates with visuals and stories. I can follow different news outlets and influencers, which gives me various viewpoints on current events. The platform shows me content based on my interests, making it relevant. I love how I can follow the people that I share the same beliefs with, like with politics and news networks. Instagram is a very direct outlet with direct source information. For example, I can get information from what influencers directly post, so I see it first hand. I use instagram as a place to follow the influencers that share my beliefs. 

5. The New York Times

I rely on The New York Times for news because it provides detailed reporting and trustworthy journalism. They cover many topics, giving me a good overview of current events. As a journalist myself, I am always utilizing The New York Times. Their thoughtful analysis also helps me understand complex issues better. The New York Times is starting to become more popular with the variety of activities and information that it provides. I only recently started using The New York Times as a source for my information, but it has turned into one of my top 5 sources that I pull information from.