Key Post Blog #3: Eight Values of Free Expression

 KEY POST: Eight Values of Free Expression

In this course, we have spoken on multiple occasions about how Prior Restraint is unconstitutional. When individuals are given their right to Freedom of Speech, this includes any and all forms, styles, etc. of said speech. We have also talked about the term "Market Place of Ideas". People need to be able to speak their mind. If individuals do not have the right to speak their mind, individuals in the country would lash out in other ways.

I find that in 2021, we are a very sheltered society. I have talked about this in another one of my courses, but we are afraid to say anything. We have grown up or adapted to this "cancel culture". You say one thing on social media expressing your opinion and next thing you know the world is coming for you with the click of a button. It doesn't even have to be hate speech or slander. 

In this blog post, I will be outlining this value of free expression, and speaking on why it is a "good thing" for individuals to be able to post whatever they want on social media (in a reasonable fashion) including hate speech, slurs, etc. 

Definition and Real World Example

 When looking at this quote in particular describing "Promote Tolerance", we are able to see how individuals have the right to say what they want to say. We used the example of the owner of Atlanta's NBA Team using a racial slur on Twitter. He has the right to do that, but instead of receiving Prior Restraint, because we as American Citizens have our Freedom of Speech, he received Subsequent Punishment. As the quote above states, 

"Somewhat counter-intuitive, the First Amendment protects hate speech because society learns valuable lessons from, including why it is hateful and worthy of condemnation. It's how we spread norms about acceptable behavior."

While the First Amendment protects hate speech, that does not mean the Atlanta Owner did not receive backlash for what he posted, and is also banned from having anything to do with the NBA for the rest of his life. There is Subsequent Punishment and the lesson society has learned from previous experiences at work.

The Tolerant Society- Lee C. Bollinger

Next time you see a controversial tweet, you see a celebrity use a racial slur, you see an individual from your high school tweet about the BLM Protest or about their love for Donald Trump, you are seeing the First Amendment in action when it comes to Freedom of Speech.

I was also given the resource by Lee C. Bollinger The Tolerant Society. It is through an article written by The New York Times, that I was able to read a brief overview of points Bollinger has made on the same topic. In the article there are quotes made by Bollinger which are listed below.

"The urge to suppress disagreeable speech is just one aspect of the urge to suppress all beliefs and behavior that threaten our sense of identity and need for social stability." (New York Times)

When looking at this quote, it is easy to see that the moment we start placing censorship and using Prior Restraint to stop individuals Freedom of Speech is the moment that we as a society will start to become corrupt. We fight back on things we do not like, such as controversial statements individuals make, because it hurts us or it is an idea we disagree with. When this interaction happens though, individuals begin to learn that it is wrong. They begin to learn that making certain statements is not the way to go about an issue. It also teaches us individuals true colors and who they are. 

I know plenty of times I have seen posts that people I went to High School with have made and sit and laugh to myself because of how uneducated or intolerant they sound. At the same time though, that is my opinion and what they posted is their opinion. As much as I may not agree with it, it could spark a conversation that could change the way I view their opinion. At the end of the day I may still not agree with them, but at least we were able to come to terms with how each other feels on the situation.

Going off of this thought, here is another quote Bollinger made.

Moreover, ''extremist speech is very often the product or the reflection of the intolerant mind at its worst and, as such, an illustration to us of what lies within ourselves and of what we are committed . . . to overcome.'' (New York Times)

As I said earlier, these statements made by individuals are often a direct look into their minds. You are able to see exactly how a person thinks and their moral standards. 

Conclusion

I feel that out of all Eight Values of Free Expression this one resonates the most with me because I have grown up in an era where social media has evolved. People take to social media, especially Twitter to let out their thoughts and ideas. 

I use social media as my prime example because, as we have talked about in this course, these are private actors that are able to silence individuals if what they post goes against their own terms and conditions. Individuals can say what they want, but if it does not comply with the terms and conditions of the social media platform, it will be taken down. So there is no form of censorship, until you work through a private platform/actor. 

I feel that there should not be censorship when it comes to individuals posting about their thoughts and feelings. We all have our own opinions and ideas and we need a way to let them out. Now, we do have to understand that others are going to see these posts we make, and while we may be protected by our First Amendment right of Freedom of Speech, there are going to be individuals online who will immediately call individuals out and cancel them for things they have said. 

As individuals an American Citizens, we have to remember that what we say online, although we have the freedom to say it, is not always the right thing to say. There will always be a consequence for actions made whether they come immediately or later on in life. The best way to state an opinion is to do it in a way that can spark a civil conversation instead of one that could hurt the reputation of yourself or someone else.

Citations:

https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/08/books/how-free-do-we-want-to-be.html