Eight Values of Free Expression

 

    Looking at the 8 values of free expression allowed me to understand just how important each and every one of these values is. Reading them led me to realize that the values connect to events that occur in today's society. All 8 are crucial, but two of them stuck out to me the most, those include, 4 and 8. 

The 4th Value of Freedom

    The 4th value is all about the individual and self-fulfillment. This value allows for free speech and helps people become their own person while feeling comfortable enough to do so. The value itself represents human, liberty, and freedom of speech. This value is very prevalent in the United States, especially in the recent years. This past election season we were able to witness firsthand people trying to use freedom of speech to express their ideas. As these protests started off peaceful, they then led to storming the Capital which damaged the Capital while people acted recklessly. These Americans were not practicing their freedom of speech correctly. The peaceful protests turned into riots. As an American we are lucky to be able to speak freely about our personal ideologies, but as soon as one's freedom takes away another person's freedom it is no longer acceptable. Another movement that recently took place was the Black Lives Matter protest. These protests were a mix between peaceful and violent. It is said that 93% of the Black Lives matter protests were peaceful. This fact was found on Time. 

These protests occurred in all 50 states to promote equality and eradicate white supremacy.  

The 8th Value of Freedom

    The second value of free expression that stuck out to me was the eighth value. It is called protect dissent and embodies the values that the first amendment protects minority views. This value allows people to be able to disagree with the government and even criticize it. This value is necessary to check the governments doing and to ensure they are not abusing their powers. One unpopular view was the view of legalizing same sex marriage. Years ago, even talking about same sex marriage was extremely taboo. People who preferred same sex over the opposite gender were looked at as mentally ill and would be discriminated against. Now today same sex marriage is legal in all 50 states. Forty years ago, this would never have even been a thought that this could be a possibility in the United States. Although now legal, it still faces backlash from people who do not agree with legalizing same sex marriage. This is just one of many stories that have proved minority opinions can become majority opinions. All it takes is time and commitment to advocating for what one believes in. 

Same Sex Marriage

    All eight of the values of free expression are important to keep the United States running efficiently. In my opinion the citizens need to remember their rights and speak peacefully for what they believe in to keep the government in check and less power hungry. Overall, 4 and 8 resonated with me the most and made me realize just how much they relate to events in The United States today. 

History of The Supreme Court

SUPREME COURT

The Supreme Court is the United States strongest and highest court. To serve on this court is an honor because the decisions made by the appointed justices impact the nation forever. This court has shaped American history and will continue to do so. The Supreme Court interprets the Constitution to ensure Americans' justice.

The Supreme Court

A total of Nine Justices serve on the Supreme Court while they are all appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The justices serve for life. The Supreme Court has been used as a replica for courts across the globe. I learned that the Supreme Court still is the most powerful judicial body on the Earth. Being a Supreme Court Justice is an honor and their power rests in public faith and the Constitution.  It is in their hands to uphold the rule of law.

I learned that there have been only over 100 Supreme Court justices. Most of when Supreme Court justices are starting out they feel overwhelmed and stressed because they want to serve their country to the best of their ability. It has been said it takes 3 years to not feel overwhelmed and strange while others said it takes 5. The court is able to take in about 100 cases a year when in reality they receive thousands of cases annually. 

The First Chief Justice

The first chief justice was implemented in the year of 1801 and the promising lawyer goes by the name of John Marshall. This happened right after the event of the Act of Congress was said to be unconstitutional. John Marshall stated "We must never forget it is a Constitution we are expounding". Marshall's leadership led the court to gain public respect. Twenty years pass by and the Case known as Dred Scott V. Sandford is taken on by the Supreme Court and their decision leads to a weakened authority for many years to come. 

What Makes a Supreme Court Justice Job Different

What most people in the United States don't understand is that the judges are unable to go to work each morning and say "Here's a problem we can deal with". A Senator and President is able to do that. The reasoning for this is because they must wait for people to bring the problems into the court. For a case to make it to the Supreme Court the issue has to be a major issue that has raised questions in the nation. 

Overall, the Supreme Court is the highest and most important Court in the United States. The court takes judicial precedence over the other courts in the United States. The Supreme Court does its best job to interpret the Constitution in a timely but effective manner. 

My Top Five Sources of News

 The United States offers countless ways to learn about news. Some are well known, others not so much. As an American we all know news stations carry biases whether we like it or not. CNN and Fox News are known for this. Fox is meant for Republicans and CNN is for Democrats. There are also more neutral news stations or articles that are great for comparing CNN and Fox News.  Personally, I find it best to watch both sides of politics and the neutral side because it makes it easier to figure out what is fact and what is constructed to fit the political parties view. These are the news sources that are my top five sources of information. 

Fox News

One of the channels that I receive my news from is Fox News. Fox News is a Republican news channel. I like to look at this site because I can see the same stories from the Rights view and use CNN which is linked down below to see the left's view. I know that Fox News is biased but I like how they say what they are thinking even if I do or do not agree with what their statement is. This news source is very powerful and has the ability to reach the nation in seconds.

CNN

Another channel I look at when trying to obtain information about what is going on in the world and across the country is CNN. I use CNN to compare to Fox News. I previously said both hold bias and are associated with particular political parties, but I think it is crucial to look at both sides of the story. I love seeing how CNN views a situation vs. how Fox does. I personally do not trust either news station because of the bias, but I take the information I receive from both and make up what I think is right or wrong. I find it very entertaining to look at both of the headings for the same story on each new source and see just how different they are. I recommend looking at both sides daily. 

Newsbreak

One of my favorite news sites to look at is News Break. I have the app News Break on my phone because it allows me to be caught up in everything that is going on around me locally. When I change locations it will know and tell me what I need to be aware of. An example of this is when I'm in High Point it alerts me of crime, bad weather, updates about coronavirus, political policies and much more. I feel safer having this app because I know what to look out for. One thing I will say is that some sources are not accurate when it comes to politics so I have to check where the information is coming from before believing it. 

Instagram

The next place where I get my news is Instagram. This app is a social media app that allows people to share anything they want with a picture attached. This allows for free speech. I like using this app to see how my friends and family feel about different political policies and ideologies. I also think it is a great place to post political ideas and get the word out fast because there have been many political movements on Instagram. This app is interesting because fake news is so easily spread nowadays and I find it intriguing that people are willing to believe something so quick without fact checking the sources.

New York Times

The last source that I look at when viewing the news is The New York Times. This newspaper has been one of the greatest sources of information including during two world wars. They present both National news and world wide news. I know I can trust The New York Times to tell me facts because they come out with stories right when they happen. I think it is not entirely but mostly not biased and people should read it if they are looking for fast information. 

Personally, these 5 sources have become a part of my life and my thoughts because of all the things that happen in the nation and globally. I think it is important to catch up on news and make sure to know what is going on around you. I hope more people start to watch or read more than one newspaper so that they too can have a mostly unbiased opinion. I like to say "Don't let the news make up your mind, create your own thoughts and opinions on an issue".