Blog #3 - Eight Values of Free Expression

Eight Values of Free Expression Reflection 

In my opinion, the most important value of free expression is stable change. Stable change allows people to speak freely about what they want done or what they see a problem with, also known as venting. According to the text, venting reduces the chance of violence because people are expressing their feelings and not letting them pile up. I see this as the most important value of free expression because it reduces the amount of crime and violence in our country. The government has a better gauge of who could be a threat, and who is just wanting to speak their mind.

 

This reminds me of a very recent incident in my life where stable change was present. Recently, a dining location on High Point University's campus removed the "mobile order" feature. This was extremely disappointing as it was a very popular location and mobile order is the most convenient way to get food on campus. Instead of resorting to violence or protest, students just voiced their opinions to anyone who would listen. Emails were sent to the President, HPU dining staff was made aware that students were upset, and ultimately mobile ordering was brought back. While I understand this is a very small issue in comparison to the United States government, it is a relevant example for me and helps me understand the importance of stable change.

 

Individual self-fulfillment is the most personal value of free expression for me. I am thankful for the ability to be exactly who I want to be within reason without any consequences from the government or people in power. The First Amendment allows me to share my position on controversial topics, practice my religion, and gather with people of my choosing. I am allowed to own social media accounts and post whatever I want on them because I have the right to do and say as I please. I believe that these freedoms make me who I am, without them I would be put in a box and not able to freely express myself. the ability to be individuals gives US citizens control over themselves and their identity, which is why individual self-fulfillment is the most personal value to me.

Today, promoting innovation should be valued more by government officials. During the Black Lives Matter movement, peaceful protests were violently shut down by police. While few protests were started violently by protestors, the majority were peaceful and created just to make a point without harming or threatening anyone. If the freedom to speak and assemble peacefully was valued, the protest could've made a calming difference, however, there was tension between the people and government following this issue. Promoting innovation positively should be more present in our world today. Even though many examples show the government disregarding this idea, we are lucky to have it as part of our rights. I hope that as American citizens we feel safe to express our feelings and suggestions peacefully and respectably without having to worry about being reprimanded. 

Blog #2 - Supreme Court

After reading the History Channel's overview of the Supreme Court, I have several takeaways worth noting.

• To be transparent, I am not familiar with the details of most things government-related, but I am eager to learn. The most interesting thing I learned after reading that I didn't know before was that the Supreme Court justices are nominated by the President. I think this is super interesting and helps me better understand the dynamic of our government systems in the United States. 

• In my opinion, the most important takeaway from this article was the steps the Supreme Court takes to reach a decision. There are 7 steps- accept the case, file briefs, oral arguments, conference, assign opinions, circulate drafts of the opinions, and make the opinions open to the public (Roos, 2022). I think it's important to realize these steps and understand what they mean in order to be familiar with the Supreme Court and their decisions. There are a lot of steps so each decision made goes through the same exact process, making it fair. Thinking about these steps and how long the process must be makes me think about a time in my life when the Supreme Court changed the dynamic of our country, which was the day Roe v. Wade was overturned. 
• I was surprised to learn that the first official assembly of the Supreme Court was postponed because of transportation issues. Learning this was interesting to me because it reminds me that the creation of the Supreme Court was a work in progress by real people who aren't perfect. In my mind, the Supreme Court is made up of strict, perfect people. I find it reassuring that the first steps in creating this were delayed by normal human issues. It's a reminder that the Supreme Court is meant to serve the people because they are people too.

• Reading this helped me understand that the Supreme Court is truly for the people and the betterment of our country.
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

Roos, D. (2022, May 10). Steps the Supreme Court Takes to Reach a Decision. HISTORY. https://history.com/news/supreme-court-decision-cases

Blog #1 - News Sources

In an ever-changing world, I believe it's important to stay as familiar with current events as possible. However, I sometimes feel that constantly viewing news stories can be somewhat depressing because of their usual nature. Currently, I do not spend time watching the news. In order to keep my morale high, I use a few different news sources that allow me to quickly stay updated and informed. 

1. Associated Press: I have the Associated Press app on my iPhone, which means I get notifications about news stories. I believe this is a really simple way to stay informed because I subconsciously read the updates while scrolling on my phone. I like using the app because I am in control of how much news I consume. I can block notifications if I need a break, or I can jump on the app and scroll through hundreds of news stories. My favorite part is the app lets you search news by category, which is super helpful when I am looking for something specific. I recommend downloading this app because of its simplicity and easy accessibility! 

2. Word-of-mouth communication: I find that one of the most frequent ways I gain knowledge about current news is simply by hearing people talk about it. Whether it be my parents, friends, or professors, I have a lot of people to listen to! Most of the time I will take the information for what it is and go to another news source to find more information and make my own judgments. This is a great way for anyone to build conversation and learn new things. 

3. WKYT: In middle school I attended a conference called KYA (Kentucky Youth Association) where I participated in mock government, creating and passing laws for Kentucky. Participating in this conference helped me understand the importance of showing interest in the condition of my state, Kentucky. I read WKYT, the famous Kentucky news channel to stay updated while I'm away at school. Not only does this help me understand what's going on in my state, it allows me to stay connected to my family! If you are away from your home state, I highly recommend staying connected by frequently reading one of your state's news sources.

4. TikTok: Although I am not proud to admit it, TikTok is definitely my main source of my news consumption. Because I spend a lot of time on the app I am exposed to the news that is shared on it. I know it is not the most reliable source, however, there are some reliable sources that have accounts and posts. I follow a few of these and whenever I see a news story I make sure it's from a reliable source. If you are a TikTok user, I encourage you to follow reliable news source accounts to stay up to date on recent events. 

5. BFF's: My final news source is the BFF's podcast with Josh Richards, Dave Portnoy, and Brianna Chickenfry. It sounds very silly and unprofessional because it is, which is why I enjoy learning news updates about the entertainment industry from this podcast. It is light-hearted and casual and provides a break from the seriousness of the world. I love keeping up with my favorite influencers and singers, and this is the easiest way for me to do that. I highly recommend this podcast to anyone looking for a humorous escape from the real world.