Eight Values of Free Expression

Over the last few weeks in Media Law and Literacy, we have been exploring the First Amendment and the importance of freedom of speech and press. The First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." The idea of the First Amendment led to The Eight Values of Free Expression. These values allow citizens to speak, share, and voice opinions freely. 

The Eight Values of Free Expression include the following: Marketplace of Ideas, Participation in Self-Government, Stable Change, Individual Self-Fulfillment, Check on Governmental Powers, Promote Tolerance, Promote Innovation, and Protect Dissent.

Stable Change 

Stable change allows citizens to "vent" or speak their minds openly. It is proven that citizens who are allowed to speak will be more stable and less likely to resort to violence. Citizens having the ability to speak their minds is a wonderful way of expression. An example I can think of in this instance is protests. Under the First Amendment, citizens are allowed to "vent" and express their views through protesting but not in a violent way. This backs up the idea of stable change by allowing citizens to speak their minds without it turning into violence. To ensure that protests remain peaceful and productive the government needs to provide channels where citizens can express their views and exercise freedom of speech. 

The Women's Suffrage Parade of 1913 is an example of a peaceful protest. In this peaceful protest, women rallied together to achieve voting rights. They aimed to get the public's attention to the suffrage movement and push for the passage of a constitutional amendment that would grant women the right to vote. 

Individual Self-Fulfillment 

In my opinion, individual self-fulfillment is very important. Without expressing yourself and having an identity how are you supposed to form your views? Through forming an identity and expressing yourself you will start to form your own opinions and ideas. Freedom of Speech becomes key when you have an identity and express yourself. You can be you with your own views and also be protected by the First Amendment. When people can freely express themselves it allows for diverse perspectives. Individual self-fulfillment signifies the importance of freedom of speech to have a diverse society. To relate this to myself I am constantly evaluating my views and making sure they align with my identity. It is important to make sure that you are aware of your views and thoughts so you can correctly express yourself. 

I have really enjoyed taking a deeper dive into the First Amendment and it has really got me thinking about what James Madison created and how thankful I am for freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. I hope you enjoyed learning about the eight values of free expression!