Eight Values of Free Expression

There are 8 values of free expression that allow citizens to be able to express themselves freely with restraints in place. 

1. Marketplace of Ideas: John Milton argues against needing a license to print, which goes against the government's ability to censor the people. Milton says that through open debate, when there is truth alongside

falsehood, the truth will always prevail.

2. Participation in Self-Government: Says that citizens will not make wise, informed choices when electing a candidate because of said candidates’ restrictions in saying what they would like to say. The general idea is that the people want an informed electorate involved in debate. 

3. Stable Change: Angry and alienated citizens are allowed to speak their minds or vent, as that can cause them to be involved in non-violent activities. Allowing these citizens to freely voice their opinions allows the government to monitor the potentially dangerous groups.

4. Individual Self-Fulfillment: The idea that freedom of speech allows individuals to have individuality and express themselves. Freedom of speech thus becomes an aspect of human dignity, human agency, and autonomy.

5. Check on Governmental Power: Checks and balances restrain the government from abusing their power. When citizens feel so moved by the abuse of power, they can do something about it at the ballot boxes.

6. Promote Tolerance: Speech that we may find hateful, or speech we simply do not like, is protected under the First Amendment because of the idea that a more tolerant society is a better society. Society learns valuable lessons from, including why it is hateful and worthy of condemnation.

7. Promote Innovation: Freedom of speech allows individuals to be more creative and innovative, creating a more diverse and capable society.

8. Protect Dissent: Citizens have the right to criticize the government as well as other citizens. No matter how unpopular the opinion is, the First Amendment gives you every right to express it.

Individual self-fulfillment resonates with me personally because of the emphasis that the right to express oneself freely allows individuality.

We are now in an era where social media is the main source for people to share their personal stories, creativity, and passions. This idea of finding your authentic self by just speaking your mind without any outside censorship is important for us, as people, to progress through life. If we never, as a society, spoke out and said what was on our minds, we would never be our own person and would never reach a level of finding ourselves.

What we most see today is the marketplace of ideas. Once again, with social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, X, or TikTok, it's not uncommon to come into contact with users across these platforms that use their accounts to have open debates about various topics, whether they relate to current day or not. While it is beneficial for these users to use their platform to express their ideas freely and find others that may agree or disagree, it allows room for false information. Finding misinformation on social media is not uncommon; it, however, allows for open debate and the sharing of different viewpoints. 

Reflection on the U.S. Supreme Court

The two videos about the US Supreme Court were very interesting and taught me a lot about the Supreme Court. The first video begins by pointing out how the Supreme Court interprets a 200-year-old constitution, safeguarding liberty, preserving the union, and upholding the rule of law. This particular statement is intriguing to me because of how our society is constantly evolving and changing every day; however, the Supreme Court is tasked with interpreting a set of principles written centuries ago. This particular document that poses fundamental rights and freedoms has to be explained to fit modern dilemmas and issues. 

In the first video, Justice Stephen Breyer has the opportunity to speak directly to the audience and explains that "once it is confirmed, all of us are primarily responsible to the law, to this institution, to your own conscience, and the public no longer has the direct ability to influence the decision through the ballot box, and that is why the confirmation process is an important thing." This statement from Breyer is interesting. He explains that once a Supreme Court justice is confirmed, they only have three responsibilities: the law itself, the institution of the Supreme Court, and their own conscience or sense of justice. The Supreme Court is not there to appeal to the public but to interpret the law that follows the constitution and the constitution only. 

Justice Stephen Breyer

John Marshall had just been named Chief Justice in the early 1800s. Under Marshall, the court asserted for the first time the greatest of all judicial powers, striking down an act of Congress as unconstitutional. In the case of Marbury v. Madison, John Marshall held an opinion of, "It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is." The court has since then become a co-equal branch of government. 

The second video transitions to the court addressing the constitution to resolve national problems. Justices Kennedy, Stevens, Scalia, and Ginsburg spoke with law professor A.E. Dick Howard. Justice Kennedy starts the conversation by saying that they have an advantage that John Marshall did not have. He says that they have 200 years of history, of detachment, in which they can see the folly of some ideas, the wisdom of others. He continues to say that the fact that they are interpreting a 200-year-old document isn't a disadvantage but an advantage. Him saying that is surprising to me because when hearing that the United States is following a 200-year-old document, the immediate thought is that it must be outdated or a big issue when it comes down to modern-day decision-making. Kennedy flipping this idea and implying that the age and history of the constitution gives the court an advantage can be shocking. 

In conclusion, something that I learned that I already didn't know before watching the two videos was that the Supreme Court has a much larger role in shaping society than I initially thought. Congress makes the laws; however, the Supreme Court has the responsibility to interpret those laws and determine their constitutionality. The most important take-away point about the Supreme Court is the court's power of judicial review, which is the power of the court to review all actions by all departments of government and deem them constitutional or not.

The most surprising thing was how long one could be a Supreme Court justice. The justices are appointed by the president of the United States but stay way longer even after that president has finished their term. Finally, the videos changed the way I thought about the Supreme Court by showing me how important it is for the justices to balance the tasks of following the constitution as well as the law. 

Current US Supreme Court Justices

Top Five Sources of News and Information

 1. TikTok

TikTok is a social media platform that provides different content. Whether the content is entertaining or informational we have the ability to consume it in such a short amount of time. Between the personal stories, educational videos, or breaking news TikTok is a great source for us to stay informed. TikTok's algorithm makes sure that you see content that would interest you. I recommend TikTok for its immediacy, and use it as a way to see reporters or different perspectives from a variety of people. 

2. Instagram

Instagram is for visual content that mixes personal lives with professional sources. I use instagram to mainly keep up with friends and family but I also follow a few informational accounts that provide real life updates of current events. It's often that I come across posts that have an interesting headline and I take a moment to do some additional researching of my own. I recommend instagram for those who like visually driven content. 

3. WRAL

Since I'm from North Carolina, more specifically the triad area, I like to watch WRAL for more local news. It is a reliable local news outlet that gives information on not only weather, but events and important issues that arise in North Carolina. WRAL provides news in different regions that may not recieve national coverage. I recommend WRAL for those who want more local and up-to date information on what may be happening 20-30 minutes away from them. 

4. Reuters 

Reuters provides timely, unbiased coverage of news events across the world. It's a trusted source because of its factual reporting without editorializing. This news sources has a team of journalists that are able to cover stories from all over the world. I recommend Reuters because of its accuracy and ability to provide its readers clear and concise understanding of current events worldwide. 

5. The New York Times

The New York Times (NYT) offers articles that are well researched, investigative reporting on global and domestic affairs, as well as thoughtful commentary. The website and app includes podcasts, videos and newsletters for different ways for their supporters to consume the content that they put out. I recommend NYT for its credibility and capability of making important news and information easy to consume.