Confidential Sources and Freedom of Speech
The First Amendment - freedom of speech. The first amendment guarantees freedoms concerning religions, expression, assembly, and the right to petition. It prohibits Congress from restricting the press or the rights for individuals to speak freely. This is a fundamental human right and it reinforces all other human rights, which allows for the society to progress and develop. Speaking freely is essential and one of the biggest ways to start change.
During the year of 2020, freedom of speech was seen in all forms - social media and the internet, television broadcasts and other types of broadcasts and what we are all too familiar with -riots, whether peaceful or not. Speech allows people to get their thoughts heard and that is what sparks change.
From the Espionage Act of 1917, which prohibited information, recording pictures or copying descriptions or any information relating to the national defense with intent that the information will be used to the advantage of any foreign nation, to the Bill of Rights, to Julian Assange, we can see the First Amendment tossed around a bit.
The meaning and purpose behind it has been adapted, interpreted and changed as the media world has evolved. Julian Assange who was found guilty of breaching the Bail Act was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Some see him as a hero of government transparency and truth while others see him as dangerous. Assange has leaked thousands of documents helping the United States see the truth behind all the goes on. Although some of these leaks have highly confidential and classified information, they were full of missing information that was used to connect dots : 2016 stolen emails from Hilary Clinton, Iraq and Afghanistan war documents (the hunt for al-Qaida) and even 570,000 messages sent on 9/11/01 that WikiLeaks stated they they "hope that its entrance into the historical record will lead to a nuanced understanding of how this event led to death, opportunism and war". Assange wanted justice and he believed in the truth.
I am personally a believer that not all things are meant to be "confidential" if they can help the people of our nation. Sometimes words are meant to be heard in order to spark a change. Julian Assange wanted people to see the truth.
Some information should be kept confidential if it is going to protect the livelihood of American lives, and protect us from foreign conflict, or even national.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen more and more people speak and try to make change. Is it because people are behind screens and are not afraid of real consequences? Are people finding their voice midst pandemic? Whatever the answer is, freedom of speech should be exercised. It is so important because we all have one and we need to use it. I have felt in college that I have been able to speak my mind and freely discuss my thoughts and opinions. To take away someones thoughts and opinions is the same as diminishing their values and morals.
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