Eight Values

    The Eight Values of Free Expression are: marketplace of ideas, participation in self-government, stable change, individual self-fulfillment, check on governmental power, promote tolerance, promote innovation, and protect dissent. Out of these eight values, protect dissent is the most important one to me and I think is one of the most vital ones to protect. Protect dissent means to protect all views no matter how unpopular or disliked they maybe.

 

    Freedom to dissent is very important to the United States, especially in today's society when there are so many drastically different viewpoints and beliefs. When I typically think of 'protecting dissent', I think of social media. This is because social media typically allows us to easily and quickly share our views and beliefs to many different people who may agree or disagree. Recently, there have multiple social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook that have been working with government in order to ban and silence these users and their posts if it criticizes or goes against the government's wants and views. These companies even banned President Trump, who at the time was the current and active president. This goes directly against our first amendment and protecting dissent because the government is taking part in silencing its' citizens, not just the social media companies. As the government and social media companies continue to silence their users, protect to dissent becomes even more important. What other liberties will the government try to takeaway?

    In my opinion, freedom to dissent is essential to a functioning democracy. We the people have a right to protest and exercise our rights in order to protect our other rights, especially when federal, state, or local governments propose or enact laws or policies that threaten or deny those rights. We the people must know and exercise our liberties guaranteed to us by the Bill of Rights and protect all views, no matter what we think and believe.