Blog #3 - 8 Values Of Free Expression

As Americans, we hold tightly to our First Amendment and the rights that it gives us. Freedom of speech gives us more than simply the ability to speak our thoughts but also the freedom to practice our religion of choice or write what we believe. These ideas took shape through eight theories: Marketplace of Ideas, Participation in Self-Government, Stable Change, Individual Self-Fulfillment, Check of Governmental Power, Promote Tolerance, Promote Innovation, and Protect Dissent. 

There are a few of these that stand out to me but first and foremost I believe that promoting tolerance is by far the most important. According to the National Partnership To End Interpersonal Violence Across The Lifespan, Tolerance is about accepting others even when they don't look like you, act like you, or have the same values and beliefs as you. 

Because the first amendment is so important in our society, it tends to get thrown around willy nilly without thought for the consequences. First off, the first amendment only applies against the government. Secondly, freedom of speech does not equil freedom from consequences. Finally, there are exceptions from the first amendment. You cannot scream fire in a crowded theatre, you cannot incite violence, you cannot use speech to ruin another's reputation, and most importantly, you cannot use hate speech. 

All that it takes to understand why we need more promotion of tolerance is two minutes on any social media platform. There are plenty of people  out there who genuinely believe that some people are less than them due to the color of their skin, the religion that they practice, or the country that they were born in. These people are easy to call out and blame but what about the people who do it unintentionally? We have all been guilty of it at one time or another because many of us have subconscious biases that we aren't even aware of. The more that we get to know people with different backgrounds and beliefs, the less different we will feel. This is tolerance, the acceptance of others that may not be the same as you. 

The best way to combat intolerance is to get ahead of it and teach our children how important it is to treat others with care and respect. In 1995, UNESCO declared November sixteenth an international day for tolerance in order to spread awareness. 

Another value that I believe is relevant to what we see today is the check on governmental power. With polarization getting worse and worse, our two main political parties have become sticklers about pointing out what the other side is doing wrong but we fail sometimes at seeing what our own side is doing wrong. 

It is our duty as Americans to learn about what is happening in our government and to keep it in check. While voting is not required in America, I believe that it should be. Since 1924, voting has been required in Australia for all citizens over the age of eighteen and their voter turn out has not dropped below ninety percent since compared to the United States' record high of 66.8%.