Founding Area and the U.S. Supreme Court

The United States Supreme Court is the highest level of court and their job is to interpret the meaning of law, to decide whether a law is relevant to a set of facts, or o rule on how a law should be applied. One thing that I didn’t know before was the fact that the US Presidents would appoint new justices in favor of their party. I always thought the Supreme Court justices were an independent party with no bias. However, this doesn’t seem to be the case. It can also seem unfair with the fact that there is only nine, meaning that one political party will always have one more justice than the other. Being in the supreme court seems like a very daunting thing, and that’s because according to other judges, it is exactly that. One judge stated that being appointed to the supreme court can be compared to being struck by lightning. I was also surprised that new Supreme Court judges had to take literal years to get used to the position they’re in.

I feel the biggest takeaway from the videos was the soul fact of why the Supreme Court was formed in the first place, and it was the fact that the court struck down an act of congress unconstitutional. I wasn’t aware of the amount of time justices served in the Supreme Court. I always thought it was until death, but apparently it can last up to sixteen years, and that can be doubled if needed. I also wasn’t aware of the amount of cases they receive to review compared to the amount they actually look at. They only review about 0.014% of the cases they receive, so consider yourself lucky if they actually decide to review your case. A significant takeaway I took was the amount of dedication the justices take to write their opinions in the final decisions. It makes sense too, however, I wonder if they each take their own nine individual takeaways, or if they all form one opinion together. If they all form one opinion together, then it would make sense why it would take so long after gathering all the research and facts needed. I was very surprised about the fact that the Supreme Court had power to overrule the President. It doesn’t seem logical at first, but after some thought it would make total sense, because some people would rather have a senile president in office over someone logical and young.

8 Values of Free Expression

The eight values of free expression are essential to the U.S. government because they highlight the First Amendment and the principles underlying the right to freely express oneself. These include sharing ideas, critiquing power structures, participating in public disputes, finding the truth, fostering social change, and ensuring well-informed citizenship. All these values uphold the core value that everyone should have equal access to express their views without the fear of a counterattack. 

The value that stood out to me the most was stable change. This is probably the most important because it elevates the First Amendment. It encapsulates the belief that citizens should freely voice their concerns and aspirations without violence or upheaval. Without a doubt, people should have the right to speak their minds, and stable change is the perfect embodiment of being able to talk freely toward its own government. I feel speaking your mind and getting things off your chest are better anyway instead of resorting to violence, and this can go for anything, even outside of the government. There have also been many significant civil rights and social justice advancements from public discourse and protests. Letting people speak their minds in free spirit allows special forces to closely monitor actual threats like gangs or terrorists. 

Of course, multiple other values are particularly significant in free expression. Participation in self-government is a huge one. This is especially seen today with voting, serving on juries, and engaging in peaceful protests. Each of these actions demonstrates an active commitment to free expression, allowing citizens to influence the direction of the government. The modern landscape shows that people are more connected than ever, using social media to rally support for their causes. The digital social world allows for the rapid spread of information. As citizens share their perspectives and rally for change, they uphold their rights and contribute to a vibrant democratic society that strengthens the foundations of self-government. By engaging online in the modern world, individuals assert their rights and help shape the policies and values that govern society through the eight values of free expression. This reinforces that democracy thrives on the participation of citizens and that self-government must be allowed.

The marketplace of ideas, or the pursuit of truth, is another fundamental aspect of free expression. The government encourages open discussion, which prompts uncovering facts, challenging false information, and cultivating a well-informed society. The truth will always prevail and come out eventually, no matter how long it’s held back. This is crucial today because of how often misinformation gets spread online, both intentionally or jokingly, but still believable for more gullible or literal people. Individuals have been better positioned to discover the truth from falsehood and make informed decisions by developing an environment where diverse perspectives can be passed around. 

The eight values of free expression form the core of democracy in the United States. They underline the importance of allowing voices to be heard through the First Amendment, thus contributing to a society that values progress. 

My Top 5 Sources

     Having your own list of sources can be beneficial and essential for several reasons. First, credibility is crucial because it enhances the trustworthiness of your reading information. Familiar sources also improve efficiency, allowing you to quickly find relevant information without sifting through useless or irrelevant content. Using sources you’re familiar with also promotes a better comprehensive understanding, providing deeper insight into specific topics. That said, here are my top five sources that I trust and use as a young adult.

1. The first source that comes to my mind is Instagram. Instagram is perfect for finding information relevant to your own personal interests without necessarily having to go out of your way to retrieve that information. What I mean by that is if you want news about the NFL, all you have to do is follow the NFL on Instagram. All the latest news about teams and players will pop up in your feed, keeping you informed with quick little captions, photos, and videos that allow you to gather information quickly. This is very different compared to a typical news article because compared to a news article, Instagram posts take less than a minute to collect information from and are more entertaining with videos and images. While articles do go more in-depth, they can sometimes be boring and a drag to read.
   
   
   
2. My second source would have to be Fox News. While I don’t personally watch the news too much, I do know that it caters to my and my family’s political point of understanding. Fox News offers a particular perspective, primarily conservative. Young adults like me can benefit from the exposure it provides and the variety of viewpoints to better understand different sides of political and social issues. Fox News also covers specialty things outside of politics, including business and local news. Fox News’ differing views also enhance critical thinking, making it essential for young adults to approach Fox News with a crucial eye to form a better understanding of the news.
   
   
   
3. Building off social media like Instagram, Twitter (now known as X) also provides quick and reliable information that caters to users' liking. X, similar to Instagram, is an excellent source of information because it promotes trending topics in a user's feed while promoting issues that the user might be interested in. X is more ‘wordy’ than Instagram. However, they are still short and brief compared to journalistic articles. X also promotes comments; that way, people can build opinions off of one another and either disagree and rebuttal or agree and continue the conversation. 
   
   
   
4. YouTube is a fantastic way to gather reliable news information. Channels affiliated with reputable news organizations or educational institutions can provide credible information. Video content is also more engaging and more accessible to learn from. This also allows visual storytelling that can benefit a more profound understanding, especially to a younger audience.
   
   
   
5. This list wouldn’t be complete without some sort of news article outlet. BBC News is a global news organization known for its unbiased reporting and comprehensive coverage of international events. They also pump out an extensive news output, about a hundred and twenty hours worth of daily radio and television. Thanks to its extensive staff, it is the perfect and most reliable non-biased news station for almost any topic, making it an ideal gateway for constantly updated information for any audience.