The FREEDOM to

Express....

An exclusive civil liberties presentation powered by:

Miss Student X's brain

What in the world....

Question one: "What is freedom of expression?"

• Sums up all the liberties mentioned in the First Amendment

• Your right to be who you are, express what you want without being imposed on by Government

Still can't get a clear picture?

Ok...It's starting to make a little more sense now..

Question two: "What exact liberties are in this First Amendment you speak of?"

Simple.

• Freedom of: speech, religion, the press, and association/assembly

Oh. But.....what makes expression so special..

Question three: "Why did you choose the topic of Expression?"

• It doesn't have to be on creative terms nor does it even have to do with self-expression. Humans express all the time- it is life

• Here in America, we can do it in ways that would be considered abominable in other places

• Without this freedom, 99, no...100% of our American existence would not be as it is

Getting started: ORIGINS• Thomas Jefferson states "A democracy cannot be both ignorant and free."

• Framers held belief that if the new U.S. citizens fail to nurture sharing info. among themselves, they'd be worse off than in the British monarchy they fled

• Fled from tyranny and official control of information

• Brought desire for democracy- TRUE democracy and openness

The Framer Fathers took ACTION!!!

• These enlightened men, later known as our "Founding Fathers" used their past experiences/backgrounds to their advantage

• Wrote into their new Constitution

• Bill of Rights came about

• Along came the FIRST Amendment

Here's proof.....

A Little more Insight...

• Because it was the very 1st Amendment, it didn't exactly have to be taken to the Court in order to become official

• However, that didn't stop citizens from experiencing obstacles by exercising the freedom

Do not Tinker Our Expression!!!

• Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)

• John Tinker, Christopher Eckhardt, Mary Beth Tinker expelled for wearing black armbands to school

• Symbolic protest of Vietnam War

• Exposed place/issue of Freedom of Expression in schools (First Amendment rights of students)

Well, how'd it go?

• Supreme Court held that students "do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate"

• First Amendment DOES protect public school students' rights to express political and social views

Words of the Man Himself....

— Justice Fortas, speaking for the majority". . . In the absence of a specific showing of constitutionally valid reasons to regulate their speech,

students are entitled to freedom of expression of their views."

Where does EXPRESSION stand today?

• Clearly, still important part of day to day lives

• Basic examples such as: what to wear to school, lingo used with friends, signing petitions online, Wall Street protests, social networking and what is expressed there, etc.

Where does EXPRESSION stand today?

• Though our freedom to express does us good and has done us well in the past (strikes, protests that brought about more civil liberties) there are still negative effects

Unfortunately........

• Because we have freedom to express, that also gives some the freedom to express hurtful things---

• Cyber-bullying

• Bullying in general

• Bullying consists of all types of prejudice (racism, homophobia, religious intolerance, basic playground meanie)

BUT! (Just a few examples)

• Freedom to Express is still a blessing

• Women can wear whatever they want- don't have to be covered from head to toe- without being punished

• Individuals can create havens- a lot are technology/media(press) driven- for those being affected by the "bullies" who abuse their freedom to express (LGBT communities, depression/suicide victims, autistic support communities, and so on)

Here in America.....

• We are free to assemble these communities• We are free to create social networking powered forums• We are free to wear expressive clothing for a beautiful

cause

AND............

Those things are possible BECAUSE of the freedom American citizen's have

to EXPRESS A.K.A. the First Amendment!