Freedom of Expression

Two of the eight ideals of Free Expression are very important today and have stood out to me. "Promote tolerance" is the first, while "Protect dissent" is the second.

Promoting tolerance appears to be the most relevant to my perspective on society, and it is a stance that has not been thoroughly examined. Despite the fact that hate speech is sometimes protected, there are penalties for it. The role of government should be to promote tolerance, oppose dehumanization, and create a society where diversity is encouraged. Freedom of speech exists not only to protect people from the government repressing them but also to protect from others oppressing them.

There are two other ideals that if achieved would help contribute to these goals: "Prevent hate crimes," and "create opportunities for education and dialogue." In order for these goals to lead us down this path, we must first define what we mean by promoting tolerance. Tolerance is most often defined as the "ability to live in harmony or acceptance of someone with different beliefs, race, religion, etc." The problem with this definition is that it has a very narrow scope. What happens when someone does not believe in your beliefs? Some would say that they should be tolerant of others. However, using the rest of the definition "the ability to live in harmony," if we cannot live peacefully and comfortably around people who do not share our same values, then why should we be intolerant of them?

If a person believes something very different from what I believe and acts on it in a way that negatively affects me (i.e. by telling me why I am wrong, forcing me to listen to their beliefs, or even trying to change my thoughts), they are infringing on my rights. The reason that the government is involved in protecting people from others oppressing them is because it has always been one of the main purposes of government. The term "freedom" refers to from whom our liberties are protected: other citizens and the government. When someone believes something that another does not and does something about it in an oppressive way, regardless of whether or not it is legal, it can still be a hate crime.

Protecting Dissent is a related concept that is very significant in today's culture. On all sides of the political spectrum, there are many people with divisive opinions. Even if some appear extreme, they should still be allowed to express themselves. For example, women all around the world have been able to tell their story as a result of movements like #Metoo, resulting in a more informed society that will not tolerate sexual abuse going unnoticed. Protecting Dissent is the idea that people should be treated fairly, regardless of whether or not their actions hurt others. While this seems like a good idea, it has its flaws. If there were no news stations and other sources of information, how could we determine what is true and what is false? Is it always important to be tolerant and accepting towards others?

For example, everyone seems to have a different opinion about masks, vaccines, travel, and social life, in today's COVID atmosphere. Some countries have reopened and others still have severe travel rules in place. I believe that every single person has a right to their own opinion. Each person's voice has the power to affect our future. News is a huge source of information for us today, with the media being able to share information in a way that we can understand it to help make our decisions for the better. People with opposing views should not be silenced, but instead, taught about one another's differences and share their thoughts with those who are interested.

If we could come together as a society, we would have a more informed crowd that would not be afraid to voice opinions or learn from the opinions of others. After all, this country is founded on freedom, and we are free to choose what we believe.