After reading the Eight Values of Free Expression, it took me a minute to understand which ones resonated with me most. After long reflection and looking back at my life I felt that there were two values that truly resonated with me most. Both (Stable Change ( aka Safety Valve) — see Benedict Spinoza, Tractatus-Theologico Politicus) and ( Individual Self-Fulfillment ( aka Self-Actualization) — see C. Edwin Baker, Human Liberty and Freedom of Speech) I connected with. When reading into what they truly mean, Stable change as stated in Professor Smith's Blog,“a society in which angry and alienated citizens are allowed to speak their mind, or "vent," will be more stable, as people will be less likely to resort to violence.” Individual Self-Fulfillment as stated “Free speech enables individuals to express themselves and thereby create their own identity.” When connected together, if angry and alienated people are allowed to speak their mind, which is free speech meaning they can express themselves, they will not resort to violence. This is extremely important today, considering what is happening in the world. If we look indepthly into the human mind and their actions and level of sensitivity, our generation's level is quite low. With protests and organizations in mind, without choosing something too controversial, Vegans and organizations like PETA, have held protests against use of animal testing and consumption of animals. Obviously like in any protest there will be people who disagree with the cause and it can lead to violence. With the two values of Stable Change and Individual Self-Fulfillment it is important that all voices are heard without violence regardless of difference in opinions.
In reflection to my life, the two values that I chose made me think of a time where I used free speech in my junior year of high school. Though my situation is drastically different to the example I gave above about protests, I would like to use the difference of opinions aspect. In high school, I had a Dean who many will say took her job a little too seriously. Obviously she had a very important job to do and a reputation to uphold. Her job was to make sure her students were staying out of trouble, and doing what they were supposed to. Though she had power over us as students and as a student I was supposed to respect her, which I did, she tended to abuse that power, and by doing that students didn’t like her. She would have had us rather fear her than respect her. It is important to mention that my father worked at my high school, and the position he was in was higher than her. For whatever reason she didn't like me, and she made that clear in the four years I was there. One day during my junior year I was late to school. I was extremely flustered and trying to get to class. I was filling out my late pass, when my dean appeared and she started yelling at me. She made comments such as: “You think you are privileged and allowed to be late”, “You think you have so much power”, and other things similar to that. She believed that since my dad had worked there that I thought that I was entitled, and that was far from the truth. I just wanted to be a normal high school junior, who was trying to stay away from and not be associated with my dad if anything. Well, earlier in the year there was a similar incident where she had made the comment “You are so lucky your father works here”. I knew that had made my dad extremely upset and he even expressed that to her and asked her not to do that again. So, back to the day I was late, she made the same comment and I more or less told her off. All of the hate piled up from freshman year had come out, kind of like “word vomit”. I remember running to one of my teachers saying “what the hell did I just do” and I remember my teacher telling me “what you needed to do”. Now she wanted to get me suspended, but I wasn’t about to allow that. I decided I was going to write a Google Doc to read to her about how I felt with the way she has treated me in the years I had been at the school. Though I knew she would act like it went in one ear and out the other, I knew deep down that whatever I was going to say I wanted it to show her my boundaries and change the way she was not only treating me, but my classmates and friends. When she heard what I said the only thing she could say was “you should be a lawyer”. I took it as a compliment. When it was made aware to the principal and vice principals they apologized to me and I was not in trouble or suspended. In the end, I decided to stand up for what I believed in, without getting violent. When people ask me why I did what I did, I say I did it for my Father. My dad always tells me to stick up for what I believe in and use my free speech because I can.
All together, The 8 values of Free Expression can be relevant to any person and any experience in their lives. I related two of the values in one of the most important experiences I've ever had in high school. Each value is important on their own and essential to normal everyday life.
