Blog 4: The Eight Values of Free Expression

 The Eight Values of Free Expression

The Eight Values of Free Expression that we discussed are all necessary to understand and implement in order to preserve our First Amendment right of free speech. They tend to go hand in hand, and losing sight of one will most likely result in a loss of appreciation for the others. In essence, they all address the protection of speech that is in danger of being censored or 'canceled,' and how it is actually more beneficial for a society to allow this speech. In all honesty, I would love to address each and every value and all of their intricacies, but for this post, I will just be focusing on a few that specifically caught my interest.  

The Marketplace of Ideas

The first Value of Free Speech that I would like to address is the Marketplace of Ideas. This value is taken from John Milton's Areopagitica. This value asserts that when truth and the distortion of truth are freely spoken in a society, that society will always find the truth. The coherent nature of truth assumes that truth will remain constant, meaning that by opening the floor to many differing opinions, it is inevitable that the truth will come out. This concept also asserts that by having to work through what is true and what is false helps people to strengthen critical thinking and it makes truth even stronger. We see this concept being lost today as people push to ban hate speech. It is vital that dissenting speech is protected just as much as truthful speech, or we stand to lose the value of ascertaining truth. This particular value resonates with me because I have always been encouraged to form my own opinions and I see the value in gathering different facts and opinions before I form my own.

Stable Change

Another Value of Free Expression that is very relevant today is the idea of Stable Change which is an idea introduced by Benedict Spinoza in his work Tractatus-Theologico Politicus. Stable change conveys the idea that when citizens are allowed to speak freely that society is more stable than if these citizens were repressed. One reason that this remains true is because when citizens express their discontentments then the government is aware of where instability lies in society. Allowing citizens to vent often keeps insurgences from progressing to a violent level and helps the government surveil its citizens. In America's current climate, there are many discontented groups of citizens, and promoting healthy ways of venting to minimize violence and insurrections.

Promote Tolerance 

Another value that I believe is very prominent today is the promotion of tolerance. This idea comes from Lee Bollinger's The Tolerant Society: Freedom of Speech and Extremist Speech. This value seems illogical because allowing unfettered speech may seem to promote intolerance. However, when you allow people to speak freely it allows people to understand what is right and what is wrong. When allowing citizens to speak openly, society often regulates what they say. It is not the government's job to regulate speech for its citizens.

    

Blog 3: Overview of the U.S. Supreme Court

America's Court of Last Resort 

After reviewing History.com to learn more about the Supreme Court of the United States, I was interested to find that the basis the Court was founded upon was very different than I had previously thought. I had a perception of the Court that it was instituted as a much more powerful entity than it originally was. I see the Court as a much more political institution than it was outlined to be in Article III of the Constitution. It was also fascinating to me that Justices were originally required to hold circuit court twice a year. It seems that the Supreme Court has evolved greatly since its inception, and it is important to understand its roots. 

Perhaps the most interesting thing I learned is that the first case that was heard by the court was addressing a mere financial dispute. In modern times, West v. Barnes does not seem to be a case worthy of being appealed to our highest court. When I consider what the court has done in American history, I tend to think of landmark cases such as Marbury v. Madison, Loving v. Virginia, Griswold v. Connecticut, and Roe v. Wade. These cases heavily impacted the course of America's cultural and political climates, painting a picture of an activist court. At times, it even becomes possible for the Court to legislate from the bench, which calls into question the very nature of the court itself. 

Our Supreme Court was instituted to be our weakest branch of government, while still carrying out the duty of providing checks on our other branches. In the time since its institution, it has progressed greatly into a much more powerful force in our government. I would go even further to say that it has overstepped its bounds in many regards. Although the SCOTUS was never meant to function the way it currently does, it would be nearly impossible at this point to restore the court to its original status, so it is imperative that it remains as removed from modern political influence as possible. 

Blog 2: Online Privacy

Online Privacy 

The concept of privacy is an ever-evolving issue. As we have progressed into the digital age, many questions arise about the proper approach to online privacy. As online privacy currently stands, it is more or less nonexistent. Along with all of the good things that technology brings us, it also brings opportunities for more people to access more of our information than ever before. I was shocked to learn that each and every time I use the internet, my activity is monitored and stored as part of my digital footprint. My internet habits and personal information, including my interests, likes, and dislikes are then sold to third parties. 

Government Involvement

In many instances, government agencies work with privately-owned companies to obtain information on internet users. The Constitutionality of this is vague, however, the government's use of its power in this context to obtain private information about its citizens is concerning. Our information is being put at risk both by private corporations, third party buyers, and even our own government. The government should take strides to pass the necessary legislation to protect people's private information and internet preferences from prying eyes that have mal intentions.

Self Preservation Tactics 

This is an issue that affects all internet users, and it is important to educate ourselves on what is happening and learn different ways to protect ourselves against this issue. The first way to keep your information from unwanted eyes is simply to avoid putting it on the internet or in your phone. If it is unavoidable and you must put this information on the internet, it is smart to practice good smart phone hygene. This includes clearing your cache, your internet cookies, and your search history. On top of that, it is prudent to utilize a VPN, or Virtual Private Network. This will help to ensure that any information that you wish to keep private is encrypted, protecting it from surveillance.  

Blog 1: My Top Five News Sources

In our increasingly politicized environment, it is imperative to continuously explore different news outlets to ensure that you are not being spoon-fed only one narrative. In this blog post, I will delve into my top five news sources, and provide context as to why I continue to consume their content. 

The Daily Wire

As a college student, I find that I watch the news less when I am on campus and significantly more when I am at home. This partially has to do with convenience, as news sources are much more accessible on my television at home, but it is also a result of the availability I have in my schedule to sit down and watch a news segment. While I am on campus, my top news source tends to be The Daily Wire. I tend to enjoy both watching and reading their content and I specifically enjoy following content from some of their columnists such as Michael Knowles and Matt Walsh. This source is convenient for me to use on my laptop and I typically visit this site a few times a week when I find that I have extra time. This is typically a right-leaning news source, so it caters to more conservative content.  

Fox News 

When I am at home, it is common to find Fox News playing in my house. Typically, we will play Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Greg Gutfeld Show, and we will watch certain contributors when they have a segment such as Rachel Campos-Duffy, Dan Bongino, and Kat Timpf. These are all segments that I recommend watching if you are looking for a diverse array of well-articulated conservative-leaning content. Although I do not completely trust Fox News and all of the content they create, I find that certain contributors cater to my interests and articulate their points well. In addition, I find that it provides a succinct reading of current topics that are important to read about to stay informed.

CNN

In an effort to keep my news sources politically balanced, I will often visit CNN News to compare their content with that of other news sources. By doing so, I am presented with varying opinions and interpretations of hard-hitting topics. I find that when there are two or more extreme points of view that the truth is always somewhere in the middle. Exploring sources with radically differing views gives a clearer perspective of what is true. For example, if I find an overlap between what CNN and Fox News report on, then I feel more confident taking it at face value. This is where the merit of diversifying your sources comes into play.

Axios

I visit Axios a lot to get quick and unbiased news. I love Axios' founding principles which value authentically written, unbiased, good-quality news. I trust Axios because they take accountability for their work and never write opinionated pieces, rather they analyze and explain their content, not looking to incite any argument. Their attempt to provide common ground for readers paired with their 

Family and Friends 

It is important to not only stay informed but to keep an open line of communication with people in your life of varying beliefs. I typically stay well-informed enough to have relevant conversations within my family and friend group, however, it is beneficial to have these conversations often because it helps to fill in any gaps in knowledge that I may have. Additionally, by having conversations like these, my beliefs are often challenged, encouraging me to research well and articulate my beliefs eloquently. I also speak to people with respect and an open mind, leaving room for my mind to be changed if the necessary facts, information, and logic is presented.