Blog Post #5: Eight Values of Free Expression

8 Values of Free Expression

This week, we learned about the 8 values of free expression in this country, and how they are seen in action today. The one that connected most with me and that I see at work mostly today is "Promote Tolerance". 

In today's society, social media websites such as Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, etc. run the world and inform us not only on what is going on in our society but give us information that we as a young society will not see on the news or anywhere else. The thing about these social media sources is that it is not filtered or controlled by anyone except for the person behind the computer that is writing these posts. Meaning, while these posts may sometimes give us a deeper insight to what is happening, and show us things we would not see otherwise, there are lots of instances of these websites being used for negative reasons as they can be used as a platform to put others down or use foul and intense language about other people. However, it is technically their right to make these comments because it is in their first amendment rights, but society as a whole will "cancel them" which is why the government does not have any direct ban on these posts. If the government were to prohibit these types of posts, we as a society will never learn. Whereas, if we as a society have the right to post anything we feel and criticize and attack others for no reason, we will learn the consequences of these actions by seeing the way society treats sed person after sed post was made. As a whole in 2020, society has become very iltolerant to intolerance, which proves how valuable this right to promote tolerance is in our country. 

Another example of promoting tolerance can be seen in the field that I hope to go into one day, the TV and Movie industry. The writers and producers of these shows and movies have the same basic freedoms and rights as any citizen and have the freedom to write however they feel. However, if a show or movie were to be released in today's day in age either attacking a certain race or gender, this production would receive extreme backlash. Our country and society will not stand for this intolerance not only on social media. but in the entertainment industry. Many people in our country look to the entertainment industry and famous celebrities and actors to set an example, and if these people in the spotlight set a bad example, or make a racist comment, they will be "cancelled" and riducled by society, which again proves this free expression of promoting tolerance instead of intolerance. 

Overall, as a society, we work in a way as our own system as "checks and balances". We, as a society, the backlash on people who make racist and facist comments, which promotes tolerance and decreases the chances of these comments repeating themselves. 

Blog Post #4: The Progressive Era

Anti War Blogs & Websites

Before this blog post, I had never heard of Antiwar or American Conservatives which is most likely due to the fact that the mainstream news covers up sources and websites like this. The government hides sources like this that criticize the government and they disagree with what the government is doing. However, the government cannot prohibit these types of new sources because that would be against our first amendment freedoms as citizens. These types of website can still exist and can continue to criticize the government and act on their opinions against the government, because it is their duty as citizens to criticize the government when they disagree, however, the government and the main stream news sites can do everything in their power to hide these websites and not display them. 

Blog Post #3: Black Lives Matter

The First Amendment taking place in the BLM Protests

The first 5 words of the First Amendment state "congress shall make no law" meaning as American citizens we have freedom of speech, religion, from religion, assembly, petition, and press. Therefore, it is our duty and right to not only criticize the government but to have the freedom to petition and protest the government. However, there have been several debates over the past few months to decide whether or not these protests are protected by the first amendment, because of the looting and riots that have seemed from the protests. But around 93% of the protests have been peaceful and became violent by both the involvement of the government and outside participants that have begun looting in protest of the BLM protests. The very fact of protesting for Black Lives Matter, then looting and destroying local black businesses, does not add up. This points even further to the fact that the protests and looting are not being done by the same people. Since 93% of all protests related to BLM have been completely peaceful, despite what the Trump Administration has said, these protests and the right to participate in these protests are 100% protected by the first amendment. However, the other 7% of possible violent protests are the ones that have been at the head of the news and not the other 93% of peaceful protests. Additionally, it has been documented that over this past summer, there were 392 incidents of police using force and violence on peaceful BLM protests, which again points to the fact that all of the protesters had good intentions during these protests and the violence was rarely started by the protesters.

Pictured: a group of peaceful protesters during the BLM protests. 

All of the information that was referenced in this blog post can be found here. 

Blog post #2: SCOTUS

The Supreme Court of the United States

The Supreme Court is the highest federal court in the United States of America and was established in 1789 when article 3 of the constitution was made. In the constitution, stated that Congress could decide the organization of the Supreme Court, acting as a form of checks and balances. The Judiciary Act of 1789 was then passed by the legislative branch that stated 6 justices would serve on the Supreme court until they died or retired. The number of these justices have fluctuated over time but has sat at 9 seats since 1869. The Supreme court justices are nominated by the President of the United States and the Senate either confirms or denies these nominations (acting as another form of checks and balances). WIthin those justices, however, there is a chief justice who is responsible for leading the supreme court and setting the agenda for the upcoming week. Additionally, the Cheif judge presides over the trails of impeachment, if that were to occur. Over the years, there have been 113 Supreme Court Justices and currently, the 9 Justices who serve on the Supreme Court are John Roberts (Chief Justice), Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh. The Supreme Court has tried many important cases, many of which have long-lasting impacts on the nation as a whole. Some of the very important cases that decided precedents that still hold true today are Mapp v. Ohio, Roe v. Wade, Lawrence V. Texas, and Obergefell v. Hodges. Overall, The Supreme court continues to not only be the highest court but tries the most impactful and lasting cases in the country that continue to set precedents to help many others. 

Blog Post #1: My News Sources

Top 5 Sources of News & Information

Looking for News sites that I trust and are reliable in 2020, is not as easy as it sounds. In a world where "Fake News" has been so normalized and common, its hard to know what to believe and what not to believe. However, growing up in a small and mostly liberal town, I have come acustom to a few news channels and sites that I go to first when I want information fast, and information that I know is reliable. 

1. The first site I always go to when looking for information is CNN. The reason I always look at CNN first is that this is a news source I have come accustomed to and a site that I have always found to be reliable. CNN also offers National and International News, and not just local or regional News, which is something that I look for when I need information or want to educate myself on what is going on in the world. 
   
2. The second place I look is my local news site, Delaware Online. Because I live in such a small state, Delaware Online News Journal has everything from major DE news to the reason I heard fire trucks in my neighborhood at 3AM. When I need any information about my hometown, this is where I go. If I am driving down the road and see police cars and ambulances go past me, the first thing I do when I get to where I'm going is look on Delaware Online to see what's happening. Delaware Online has been my news source for all things Delaware for as long as I can remember and is something I will always find reliable. 
   
3. The third place I look to get news is Good News Network, however, I don't look here for national news or information, I look here when I need a good pick me up or inspiring story. When I did TV production in High School and wrote the news every morning for our shows, I would immediately go to Good News Network when writing national or world news stories so that our show had some positive notes to it to brighten everyone's day. 
   
4.  The fourth news source I find most trustworthy is NBC News, but more specifically NBC10, which is my local news station. In high school, I met many news anchors and reporters for NBC10 and they inspired me to go into communications, and ever since then, I have had a connection to NBC10 and they have become a news source I find very trustworthy. 
   
5. The last news source I find trustworthy is Twitter. Over the past few months with everything happening in this country, I have found twitter as a valuable resource to get information that is not shown on the news, however I am aware that with twitter you must take everything you read with a grain of salt because you never know how accurate it is. However, I find a lot more truths on twitter than anywhere else on the internet.