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Eight Values of Free Expression



  1. Discovery of Truth
  2. Participation in Self-Government
  3. Stable Change
  4. Individual Self-Fulfillment
  5. Check on Governmental Power
  6. Promote Tolerance
  7. Promote Innovation
  8. Protect Dissent
The eight values of freedom of expression, which can be seen above, are what keep the government and our First Amendment functioning as they were intended to function. I could back any of these up and give you reasons why all of them are important but after speaking to a friend in my class, I've identified two of them that really speak to me. 

#5 - Check on Governmental Power
We all know that the three branches of government exist to be able to balance each other out and call each other to the carpet when things aren't looking so great. What we tend to forget, though, is that the press and every citizen have the same job. It's our right as defined by the Bill of Rights and our duty as an American citizen to do our part to watch what's going on in government and speak out. Political activism shouldn't be a dirty or complicated phrase. It's the basic duty of every American to play a part in politics and to exercise their rights of free expression. 

A big issue the media is talking about in recent news is President Trump's threats to investigate or take on SNL for their mockery of him and his administration. Many people are in an uproar over the threats saying that the media, specifically satirical late-night comedy shows, has the right to criticize the government. It seems a bit odd for Trump to threaten to silence them but for a more in-depth read on the issue, check out this link. 


#8 - Protect Dissent
The First Amendment protects the rights of the majority but, more importantly, the minority. It's meant to embolden those who may not speak the loudest and allow them to have their place in the "marketplace of ideas." I may not always agree with every minority opinion out there, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't have a seat at the table. 

I'd encourage anyone reading to dive into these eight values of free expression and explore them a bit more. In order to stay politically active and educated, we need to know what these values are and how they should manifest in our government and society. 

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