Blog Post #3 Freedom of Expression

Together, the eight values of free expression help explain why it is critical to our lives that everyone has the right to express themselves freely without fear of repercussions, whether they are popular or unpopular ideas. 

The value of free expression that resonates most with me is the value of seeking individual self-fulfillment. This is, in part, because it is not a way that I had never really made the connection between free speech and how a person creates their own identity. The ability to share what I believe allows me to better understand who I am and who might be “my people”.  

I believe that the most important value may be the one that protects dissent. It is essential to our democracy that everyone has the right to express their beliefs, especially when they are in disagreement with the government. Without that protection, our democratic system of government may stop functioning. Dictatorships are built on the idea of stopping free expression. We have to make sure that, in America, we protect the right to criticize our leaders. 

    

The value of free expression that feels most personal to me is the value to promote tolerance. I believe that this value connects with me because it is a reminder to me to try to listen to other viewpoints, not just of politicians or journalists, but also of my friends and family who may think differently than I do. I also hope that other people will be respectful of my positions, even when we may be coming from very different places on issues that are important to me.  

I believe that we can see all of these values in action today. For example, with the current Presidential election, we can see how the right to participate in self-government can impact our politics. Voters have options to listen to a broad range of media to learn about candidates. While one could argue that the biases in reporting make it difficult to sort through the accuracy of reporting, it is still critical that voters have the choice to consider different positions in order to hopefully make good decisions.  

I believe that freedom of expression is particularly important to Americans because it is part of our heritage. Our country was founded on the bravery of American colonists speaking out against the King and English rule. The Bill of Rights then firmly established the right to free speech and it has been a foundation of our culture and political system and a way that we have differentiated our democracy from the rights in many other countries.  

                                          

These values are more than theoretical and interact on a practical level with our society today. For example, without the ability to speak out against those currently in power, we would not have a check on governmental power. Recent examples of this can be found on both sides of the political spectrum during the last two presidencies. Both Trump and Biden have plenty of people speaking out against their policies and the way that they have led the country. In the current election, each party refers to what happened while their opponent has been in charge and what they think another 4 years (or either Trump or Biden) would mean to America. This freedom to criticize candidates who either were or are in positions of power, will hopefully help educate voters to make a good decision.  

Blog Post #2 The Supreme Court

I learned a lot about the Supreme Court. One fact is that in all of American history there have been just over 100 Supreme Court justices so it has always been a very elite and exclusive institution. I did not know that the power of the Supreme Court has not always been clear and that it wasn’t until Marbury v. Madison that the Courts had the power of judicial review, the power to strike down laws and statutes they find in violation of the Constitution of the United States. I learned about the process of choosing and that only a small percentage of the cases that are filed with the Court are chosen to be heard by the Court through the certiorari process. I also learned about the process that the Justices use to try to reach decisions, including that former Justice Rehnquist started a process that everyone is allowed to speak at least once before a Justice can speak again and that they may change their minds about a case after these conferences and as draft decisions are shared among one another. I did not know how private the process was and the importance that the Court places on keeping things confidential.

The fact that Justices are appointed for life means that one Justice can influence the Court’s decisions for literally decades.  While the average Justice serves approximately 16 years, many Justices will serve much longer. This means that a President’s decision to appoint someone to the Court (with the Senate’s approval) can be one of the most important decisions a President can make since it has such a long potential influence on how laws are interpreted.  

The most surprising thing I learned was the description of what it is like to argue a case in front of the Court, especially by Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  It was interesting to learn about the interactive process between the Justices and the attorneys and how the Justices focus discussion on the most critical issues.  It was also surprising to learn how important oral argument can be to the Justices. 

This video helped me better understand just how powerful a judicial body it is and what a critical role even a single appointment is since one Justice can change the Court’s ruling on an important issue. Their job is to hold up the constitution that was made over 200 years ago.  Sometimes, such as the Dred Scott case, they make a decision that does not stand up in history as a good decision. This helps me better understand some recent decisions such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the power that the Court can have in our lives. It also concerns me that if the Court is viewed as more political, whether that will erode the trust that people have in it to be fair and just.  

Blog Post #1 Top Five Sources of News and Information

 Social Media: TikTok 

The popularity of social media, such as TikTok, has escalated significantly over the past decade and has become a lot more popular as it has evolved. Although many people initially may discredit the use of TikTok and other social media as a news source it can be a  useful complement to other sources. While there are some challenges with potential misinformation or filtering from certain platforms, there are many benefits from social media. One strength of social media is the ability to get real time news and updates extremely fast because of first hand user generated content. People will often share first hand accounts, images and videos. It can also be beneficial to hear from a variety of people to allow diverse perspectives and interpretations on the issue being talked about. Another great benefit of TikTok is that there's an algorithm that eventually starts to appear. After the app can get an idea of what content you enjoy, your feed will show more of it. I find personalized content not only helpful but it also makes going onto the app more enjoyable.

Online Apps/Websites - Such as CNN

The main reason I use online apps such as cnn.com for news and information is because of the ease and accessibility. Similar to using social media as a resource it allows you to see what current issues are happening fairly quickly and worldwide. The development and evolution of apps has broken down geographical barriers allowing news more available to more diverse communities and audiences. Personally, I find it most useful to open my phone anywhere, anytime, helps me keep up on current issues and what's going on in the world. CNN’s online reporting on breaking news usually seems to have a fairly balanced view in its reports, even though some might think it skews liberal at times. 

 Broadcast Media: ABC News

I typically don’t watch television news on a regular basis, but when home, I will frequently sit with my parents and watch the evening news on network TV - usually ABC World News Tonight. Although broadcast news has unfortunately become less popular the last few years, it still has aspects that I personally enjoy and I can understand why many people use it as their number one news and information source. I love the concept of scheduled programming. I think it's nice to be able to come home from work and catch up on the world and what’s happening. Unlike some of the other news sources I listed where you have the ability to receive immediate alerts in real time, broadcast media tends to have a consistent audience that tunes in every night/morning. They also have an extremely strong influence on the public's opinions because their reach is so massive. One last reason why I would recommend people to still use broadcast media as a source is because unlike digital media where you need internet, you can watch the news without wifi (which most likely expands their audience reach).  ABC News also seems to have a fairly balanced view of events and does not editorialize as much as some other broadcast channels such as FOX or MSNBC. 

Online news subscriptions: New York Times

While some people might find it a little ridiculous to pay for an online news subscription, my family has an account for the New York Times and there have been several occasions where I’ve used it. By subscribing and paying a small amount monthly you're able to access quality journalism with a more personalized add free news experience. Along with this, oftentimes you can get premium content as a subscriber with more perspective on a certain issue. I also think that the risk of getting click-baited or being misinformed with untrustworthy information is less likely to happen with online news subscriptions with the NY Times because they have a priority to deliver trustworthy content. 

 Word of mouth from other people:      

While hearing news and information from other people may not always be a good reliable source, I do partake in it on a regular basis. It allows people to share whatever personal connection, and or interpretation of the issue. While this is good for connecting with other people it has downsides like spreading inaccurate or distorted information, rumors, the loss of context, and lack of verification. It also can open up a conversation or even debate about the issue and the different takes that people may have on the same issue.