First Amendment Discussion

The First Amendment ensures that as citizens of the United States we have the right to free speech, which is a valuable tool of state for any individual living within a democracy. Journalists, protected by the First Amendment and what it projects onto society, are able to express their opinions using various forms of the mass media. When thinking of the First Amendment and what it allows me to do as a student and a writer, I tend to picture countries without the right to free speech. Governments and nations that don’t recognize that right and react with censoring, imprisonment, and violence, reinforces my belief in what the amendment stands for. The Law protects writers and journalists who speak out about their views on politics and religious beliefs. This blanket of protection opens the door for a flow of opinions and protests to consume the web and airwaves, eventually filling up numerous sites, shows, and blogs. There are many blogs posted and discussions held online that take the shape of false information and dangerous remarks. These comments, whatever and whoever they may be directed at, still fall under that protective right.

The “novice journalists”, which are the individuals blogging and keeping those online discussions alive, should continue without interference with what their doing. I don’t want there to be a form of censorship that covers the web, in turn exerting too much authority over a public domain. There are some of those novice writers who I feel simply spill out nonsense and are always corrupting the idea of truth and proven facts with lies. I do believe that those people should be shut out. However, once that starts and certain individuals are quieted, a chain reaction will take place that will drastically change the face of the web and how it functions for everyone. That being said I would not trade how the web performs today just to have individuals who believe and profess President Obama is a Nazi to be silenced, even if that would benefit the country as well as our collective intelligence.