Freedom Of Speech

I have never known a lot about the history of our country, nor have I ever been interested in politics, but one thing that has always stuck with me is the first amendment. It is famously known as the right to freedom of speech, and many Americans take great pride in our right to this. It is one of the key foundations to patriotism, a right that we still proudly fight and defend for to this day. Recently, I had just learned about the eight values of free expression, the values used by scholars to explain just how important freedom of speech really is to Americans all across the country.

To start off, the first value listed is the Marketplace of Ideas, which was brought up by Milton to help aid his argument against the need of licensing to publish. He believed when the truth and falsehood are against each other, the truth will win in the end. The second value is known as Participation in Self-Government, which is the belief that citizens will make unwise decisions in elections if candidates are restricted in communicating positions. The third value is known as Stable change, which is the belief that it is in the government own self-interest to allow angry citizens to speak their mind. The Forth value is called Individual self-fulfillment, which is the belief that the use of free speech allows one to create their own identity. The Fifth value is called Check on Governmental Power, which is the belief that the people of America have the power to stop the abuse of power. The Sixth value is called Promote Tolerance, which is the belief that when everyone is more tolerant of one another and their lives, we all live happier lives together. The second to last value is called Promote Innovation, which is the belief that a community where free speech is valued is a community that is much more likely to be energized and interesting. The final value is known as Protect Dissent, which is the belief that it is your duty to call out the government when doing something invalid, and that any American citizen is allowed to do this, no matter how unpopular the view. 

When reviewing this list of values, the one that stuck out to me the most was the final value, Protect Dissent. I believe this value shows the true meaning of what America stands for. Everyone has a voice, and everyone has a right to speak out against something they do not agree with or believe is right, no matter how unpopular their beliefs may be, any American citizen has the right to speak up against what they believe is wrong. This value seems to be fading in some aspects as time goes on, for example, social media. Many people online have been "cancelled" for doing or saying something the viewers did not agree with. Sometimes it is very understandable, like someone being cancelled for saying a racial slur, but other times, people can be cancelled simply for their beliefs.