Values of Free Expression

There are eight values of free expression. Each gives protection to the individual in the United States. It is debatable, but I would say that the 4th value is probably the most important of the free expressions. The 4th value, free speech, enables people to speak freely without consequences. This is unique to the United States because in other countries that aren't democratic, the things you say about others or the government can mean life or death.



Let's take Pakistan in for example. "The 16-page report's violations include officially enforced censorship, written or verbal threats, killings, harassment, arrests, abductions, illegal confinements and physical assaults, conducted by state and non-state actors and political and religious parties" (Source). Out there, people are literally being harassed and killed for what they say. Someone may argue that you could be harassed for what you say online in the United States, but that's not the government taking action. That's an angry compilation of normal people mad at you for what you posted. Just because we have freedom of speech here in the US doesn't mean that we don't have consequences. The consequences are just different. We the people create what is acceptable to say in society and what is not so acceptable to say in society and that's what makes our freedom of speech limited.