Blogging Free Speech

WOW!

2008-05-08T20:09:00.000-07:00

We had some powerful presenters this last week. Thank you to all the groups for sharing your well researched information with us. I think it can easily be said that we all learned a little more about the freedoms we have but can easily loose.

Now, out on our own, without our free speech class behind us, I wish you all the best of luck in supporting those rights! Have a great summer and congratulations to all of you graduating.

Almost done....

2008-05-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

I know this is the hardest part of the year especially for those of you about to graduate. So I just wanted to say.... hang in there!

I want to say thanks to the groups that have gone for giving us topics good for lively discussions, and good luck with those of you that go next week!

P.S. Thanks team dynamite for sticking it out, it was a great semester working with you all!

The Woes of War

2008-04-25T11:20:00.000-07:00

War is a part of our history. Much of what we know about that history is because of journalism. Newspapers were printed with updates informing readers cheering on both sides of the wars that helped build America. Today we take a much more critical look at journalism in war because of how controversial the battles we fight seem to be. (yes, supposedly more controversial than others in American history)

I agree with war time journalism when reporters are able to bring back a front lines look at our battles, but I feel freedom of the press has been stolen because of the blockades produced by the government. Therefore, these stories our tainted... very tainted.

As discussed in class, we really can't point our fingers in anyone direction (as I just did)- if so, does that mean we still have to find the real points of conflict effecting freedom of the press before being able to actually influence change. Who are the parties you think are to blame???

TV land

2008-04-18T09:33:00.000-07:00

I don't know about anyone else, but I was ready to kick off my flip flops during the Kerry flip flops scene in Outfoxed.... repetition can be so annoying.

I think TV news is alright for catching up on some basic details of what has been going on, but really... I think the only true news sources the U.S. can look to for actual journalism and reporting is the Associated Press or Colombian Journalism Review.

Real journalism has become a lost art. TV broadcast journalism has become for the money, of the money, by the money of consolidation rather than something for the people.

If someone from Fox News came to visit our class this semester what would you say to them?

For my future....

2008-04-16T11:35:00.001-07:00

As a journalism concentration I do hope in finding a job with a print publication after school. Since I am not a fan of corporate take-overs, except for the financial burden they sometimes help relieve, I hope to find a publication that is small and possibly even independently owned. Unfortunately they are a dying breed - practically antiques in today's internet frenzy.

Even if it is only a few, I hope there are some newspapers who can survive to preserve a tradition that was present when free speech became a right.

dialog project coming up....

2008-04-11T10:54:00.000-07:00

It is almost that time to get up in front of class and present our group's dialog projects... I hope all the groups have been having a little bit of fun planning and preparing your presentations.... I think our group has. :-)

While I'm at it, I would like to say thanks to my group for keeping at it, and trying to come together to make this project more fun.

Good luck to everyone!

Small Town Drama

2008-04-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

In a small town it is pretty easy to get the drama rolling. Once you do, it is not hard to pick up supporters and get sucked in by your own argument. You can even end up following the crowd you started.

I grew up in a small town, and I can count at least two or three conflicts that have happened in the last year that got the town up in arms. Name calling happens... even in the headlines. When a local oyster farm was in danger one headline reported, "Senator Tells Park to Shuck Off" or something like that. Every once in awhile there is rumor of two people going to court over a death threat, but you never know if that is rumor or not.

In a small town conflicts tend to stand out rather than blend in like they might in a city. In the Montana story it was unfortunate that someone with a bad way of putting things into perspective had to come along, it was like teaching a baby to swear. It is easy to push buttons in a small town, but is it worth it?

Will Freedom Survive?

2008-03-28T09:21:00.000-07:00

During our last class discussion and seminar it came to me that art and expression and free speech through art is one of the last freedoms we have. It is one of the last mediums that has not been severely tinted by the government or law. Although, as we read in Outspoken and saw in the film, art is still threatened and if that slippery slope idea does get a hold of art, what medium for expression and free speech will we have left?

Accepting The Acceptance Lesson

2008-03-08T18:41:00.000-08:00

Students accepting the sexuality of their classmates is something I fear can not be taught at home. With the evolution argument it seemed a good idea that teaching a family's faith was something a parent could be responsible for. When it comes to teaching acceptance of sexuality I think a more neutral setting such as a school is something worth consideration.

With all the fits that are thrown about teaching sexual orientation in the classroom, I feel expanding the lesson to acceptance in a range of topics might benefit a community more than realized. If the importance of accepting sexual orientation, religion, race, etc, is taught students might become more open minded or gain a better set balanced values.

Acceptance or at least respect towards those different from ones self is an important lesson that a child should not go through out life without learning.

I understand the fears surrounding teaching acceptance to younger students, especially on the topic of sexual orientation. My question is what are your suggestions on teaching young audiences such a delicate topic?

Evolving Conflict

2008-03-02T12:06:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of things that happen in the history of the U.S. that can be related to years down the road. Many say that it is just history repeating its self. I believe that it is possible that with some conflicts history just evolves.

the Scopes Trial based on the conflict of evolution being taught in schools, 1925. The Dover case based again on evolution being taught in schools, present day.

I do not think it was history repeating its self because the resolution of the Scopes Trial was not something that would solve the Dover case. When it comes to teaching evolution in public schools the argument has gone from it not being allowed, to it being taught with disclaimers. I see that as evolution of a historical conflict.

Will it ever be really resolved, or is history to evolve again?

A Soldier's Burden

2008-02-22T09:35:00.000-08:00

Although our last class session did not last long, an interesting discussion was started that I thought I could add to now.

As asked, are the rules for a soldier concerning free speech different than those of the civilian?

As discussed, they are. As asked, should they be.....

I think this is a tricky question. To become a soldier contracts are signed and oaths are taken stating that you vow to live as directed. I think this makes the soldier a different breed of person. I do not feel basic training is all about learning how to fight, but learning what it takes to fight. the military does not just train, it modifies. I believe this is why some soldiers have a hard time transitioning back to civilian life.

Unfortunately, as part of the modifications, when it comes to free speech, it is no longer speak what you believe is right, it is fight or flight. It is the soldier's unfortunate burden to have to decide if they need to express free speech, especially if it is against the government.

Is this right, should the rules for soldiers and their free speech be this complicated?! I would like to say no, it is not right, but as far as I know in military life free speech is only one of many rights that are given up. Like chapter 2 in Outspoken, asking for rights is an all or nothing choice for the soldier. What would you choose?

Abolitionists who made similar points

2008-02-15T10:32:00.000-08:00

Wednesdays class discussions illustrated to me that it is not always that actions speak louder than words, but that actions can speak as loud as the words. Especially when someone like Sojourner Truth speak.

I noticed a running theme expressed by different abolitionists and I wondered if anyone else noticed this:

In the Sojourner Truth handout we were given in class she expresses that she is a women, although she has never been treated in the way women supposedly are.

In the powerpoint we were shown, Angelina Grimke I felt made a similar point about being a slave, resonating the idea that slaves are humans, although they are not treated the way humans supposedly are.

Awareness of History

2008-02-08T09:54:00.000-08:00

The current topics of our class discussions all sprout from the history of how Free Speech came to be a right in the first place. I think it is interesting to look at the fight put up then and how similar it is to ours today. Even more so I find it interesting to think about why free speech is a right. In class we had to look back, and put our minds at a period of time we are not very familiar with to look into the reasons why and how free speech was amended into the constitution.

Putting yourself back in time and as either an elite, lower class, or woman of that period, what do you think you would have thought about free speech being added? Would you have agreed or not agreed?

Learning How to use free speech

2008-02-01T17:58:00.000-08:00

I feel I have a lot to learn about free speech, and because of this I almost do not feel I should speak up yet. While there are issues today that I agree and disagree with, I have a hard time picking a few or any to really advocate for. I hope that this class will be able to open my eyes more to how free speech is effectively used and that I will become motivated to speak up about issues.

As for the first reading in HCOM 310, I felt like there was almost too much information given at once leaving the point almost buried. Despite that, I think the sequence of events made it clear that practicing free speech when working for the government is an action with unknown consequences. I think Rick Nuccio stumbled into things he did not expect to and took action to protect himself because he did not want to be seen as a lier. It is written in the first few pages of his story that he knew that there were secrets, and he knew why secrecy was need, but he also knew that, as it is written, "... secrecy aligned with power invites abuse." and he was not really prepared to be apart of that.

It is said that even secrets between friends are not kept forever, should Nuccio have expected to one day find himself a secret keeper when he started working for the government?