The theories of speech and The Eight Values of Free Expression

In class, we have talked a lot about the First Amendment and how important it is to have freedom of speech and expression in our democracy. We have discussed what founders such as Jefferson and Madison believed in and how those opinions have evolved over time. One of the things that stood out the most to me when talking about this was the value of Self-Governance and the value of free expression. This idea really resonated with me because it shows how the people, as citizens, have a really big role in creating our community and our government.

The value of Self-Governance means that in order for a democracy to function properly, people have to be capable of talking freely about the government and also be willing to talk about their personal opinions. This is very crucial because it offers everyone an opportunity to have a say. this resonated with me personally because I want to be able to be heard, especially when it comes to problems that are important to me, such as social justice or climate change. We have witnessed this in real life such as in movements like Black Lives Matter protests. People have utilized their voices to speak out against inhumane actions and aim to push for change. When they protest or talk about their beliefs online, they are participating in our democracy. It’s really encouraging to witness how when we express ourselves, we can make a difference in our communities.

Social media platforms such as twitter, Instagram, and TikTok are crucial parts in how we express ourselves these days. They are the main source for us to share our ideas and thoughts and to connect with other people. This could relate to the theory of the Marketplace of Ideas, where different peoples' opinions compete against each other to be heard. This helps the best ideas be heard. However social media isn’t 100% helpful at all times. It also has its downsides, such as people spreading misinformation and offensive content. An example of this would be that, during the pandemic in 2020, people went to social media to talk about important health information, but there was a large amount of false information that confused a lot of people.

One of the biggest issues these days is how social media companies control the things that people post. They need to get a better balance of letting free speech but also at the same time, ensuring that harmful content isn't spread. For example during presidential elections such as the one going on right now, there are countless posts that can be misleading to voters and it can cause many issues. It really shows how important it is to have free expression but it also shows how we need to protect people from false or hurtful information. When social media companies choose to get rid of posts or ban accounts, their goal is to protect free speech while also getting rid of hateful words and untrue facts. This makes me reflect on how we, as users, should all be responsible with what we choose to say online.

Thinking about the Eight Values of Free Expression,Its crucial to remember that our voices are important. Self-Governance shows us that we have a voice in our democracy. It’s our choice to use our voices in a smart and responsible way. We also should focus on staying informed and l about what we put out there and how we engage with others. Overall, the values of free expression are really important theories that affect our everyday lives. Self-Governance is extremely important because it makes us remember that we can influence our government and society.

Blog post 2:The Founding Era & the Idea of America

One really important thing that I learned after watching this video was the extremely complicated process of how cases get to the Supreme Court. I had a little bit understanding of its role, but I didn’t realize how important the "writ of certiorari" was and how justices choose what cases they should hear. This process of how they select it is very crucial because it shapes the Court’s docket and overall it influences American law. My most important take-away that i gained from watching this video about the Supreme Court is the role that it has as the last word of interpretation of the constitution. This video showed me how the Court's decisions can have really long lasting impacts on civil rights,the interpretation of laws, and powers in the government, this makes it a really important part of checks and balances in the U.S. government. The most surprising thing that I learned had to be the extent that political and personal influences have on the decisions that the justices’ make. Even though I was kind of aware that Supreme Court justices could be chosen for political reasons, this video taught me how their personal beliefs and backgrounds very much affect how they interpret the law. This element added a lot of complexity to how people administer justice. My perception of the Supreme Court Also changed a bit after watching this video by seeing it strictly as a legal institution to view it as a constantly changing unit that has been shaped by influences in history, changes in society, and personal philosophies. I now am able to more so appreciate the subtle role that it plays in shaping not only legal cases but also in today's society's norms and values.

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My Top 5 news sources

 

My Top 5 Sources

My list of sources that I use is really helpful for me for many different reasons. I find credibility to be one of the most important things in a source because it shows us how trustworthy the information that we consume is. Having familiar sources improves efficiency ,and lets us access relevant information as quickly as possible withoutshowing unnecessary content. Using known sources also gives us a deeper understanding of specific topics. Here are my top five sources that I trust to use as a college student.

1. Instagram
Instagram is a really good way to find information because it tailors to your personal interests. For example, if I want updates about fashion, following official accounts will keep me informed with quick captions, photos, and videos. This format helps me to gather information in sometimes less than a minute. This makes it more entertaining and easy to understand than usual news sources. Even though articles give us in-depth analysis, they sometimes can feel annoying and hard to read.

2. CNN
When I am in need of a more scholarly source ,I use CNN. It is a major news organization that gives comprehensive facts about current events, politics, and global issues. I like CNN because it has a big variety of perspectives and isn't very biased, this helps me stay informed about recent things. Their articles and videos have things like breaking news and in-depth analysis, which makes it a reliable source for students like me to understand complex topics.

3. TikTok

When I'm looking for quick facts that I'm not using for schoolwork, I find TikTok to be a really good way to get fast and entertaining content. With the short videos, it’s very easy to find information on a big range of topics, from current events to lifestyle videos. This app’s algorithm promotes trending content, which makes sure that people can see diverse viewpoints. TikTok is very entertaining but it can also be educational, because there are many creators that give valuable insights and knowledge in a fun way.

4. YouTube
YouTube is a really good way for me to get reliable news information. A lot of channels are affiliated with respected news organizations or educational institutions that give us credible content. This engaging video format makes learning more easy to access, especially for younger audiences. Visual education helps people comprehend things and keep the knowledge.  This makes it easier to understand complex topics.

5. Podcasts
Podcasts have become one of my favorite sources to learn from especially when I'm on the go. There are so many different shows that talk about things like history and science, current events and fun things like fashion and pop culture. I appreciate the fact that many different podcasts have experts in their fields, which gives us well-researched inormation in an engaging way. The conversational style of podcasts makes complicated and educational topics easier to understand. But my favorite part is that, I can listen while multitasking, and that is perfect for my busy college schedule.