BLOG POST #3 — Write a post based on the directions above. This is a KEY POST of at least 500 words. Be sure to think about hallmarks of a good blog post — links to sources, visuals, point of view. Be expressive and share your thoughts! Make this one special!
Every day the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights plays a crucial role in American society. It is one of the many things that makes America unique. Freedom is one of the core values in American society, and when the colonists came to America, they sought religious freedom. America would not be America without the First Amendment. Not only is freedom of and from religion outlined in the First Amendment, but also freedom of press, speech, assembly, and petition.
There are eight values of free expression including:
1. Marketplace of Ideas
2. Participation in Self-Government
3. Stable Change
4. Individual Self-Fulfillment
5. Check on Governmental Power
6. Promote Tolerance
7. Promote Innovation
8. Protect Dissent
Personally, I believe that the check on governmental power is the most important of the eight values of free expression as this is the primary design of the American political system. The First Amendment, just like the Second Amendment and other Amendments, serve as a method of how citizens can rise up against a tyrannical government. It is a form of protection against these tyrancial forms of government, so that America will not turn into a society such as the one George Orwell describes in
1984. The First Amendment allows citizens to speak up about things they see and share them with the world, so they are discussed and do not go unnoticed.
Media has always played such a vital role in America's history whether it be newspapers discussing historical events or TV programs allowing all citizens to see what is happening in the world such as during the Civil Rights movement. When Americans actually started seeing what was happening on the streets during the Civil Rights Movement, the movement actually started as people started talking about it and doing something about it. The media also played such an important role during the Vietnam War as the Pentagon Papers were leaked to the New York Times revealing the truth about what was happening in Vietnam. This is the power and the proper role of the media.
However, today we are seeing the media overstepping and causing more negative effects than positive. Not surprisingly, the media has become monopolies and are in it for the money and do not necessarily care about the harm caused on the way. The movie
The Social Dilemma does a fantastic job of describing the problems with big tech companies today. We are seeing a rise in social media causing mental health issues among the youth, and no check has been placed on these big tech corporations. These corporations are no longer a "governmental watchdog" but rather a hindrance to society as not only are they contributing to the mental health crisis in America, but also are using various algorithms to hide certain opinions from their viewers.
This is exactly why checks on governmental power are so important as it is something that is not prioritized as it once was. The monopolized news organizations are truly only showing one side to stories, but luckily we are seeing other news organizations step up and share conservative views such as the Daily Wire or people like Dinesh D'Souza. The media "watchdog" is an essential part of America's check and balance system in order to prevent a tyrannical government from assuming too much power. If the media "watchdog" is not prioritized anymore, we will lose America.
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