Protect Dissent and Individual Self-Fulfillment- Two Incredibly Important Theories
Protect Dissent and Individual Self-Fulfillment- Two Incredibly Important Theories
I truly believe that all Americans need to revisit the theories that were presented in class to us. Living here in the United States is a gift in so many wonderful ways. While some days the news on television and on our phones looks bleak, we have to remember all of the freedoms and liberties we are given every single day.
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While learning about these theories, the ones that stuck out to me the most were Steve Shiffrin’s idea of Protect Dissent and C. Edwin Baker’s idea of Individual Self-Fulfillment.
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Steve Shiffrin’s idea of Protect Dissent argues that our system is not supposed to be one of mob rule-the First Amendment protects minority ideas, no matter how unusual or strange they are. Each of us has a protected right to disagree with the government. In fact, it’s our patriotic duty to do so! I think that this theory is especially prevalent today, after the election in November and the inauguration in January.
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QAnon, a right-wing group, brought thousands of people together before, during, and after the election and all shared the same ideas about our current government. According to Kevin Roose for The New York Times, “QAnon followers believe that this clique includes top Democrats including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and George Soros, as well as a number of entertainers and Hollywood celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, Ellen DeGeneres and religious figures including Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama. Many of them also believe that, in addition to molesting children, members of this group kill and eat their victims in order to extract a life-extending chemical from their blood” (https://www.nytimes.com/article/what-is-qanon.html). To some, these theories are outrageous. To others, however, they believe that this is true. This group needs to be allowed to believe and express these ideas, no matter how outlandish they may be to some. It’s their right under our Constitution to do so. This example is exactly what Shiffrin’s theory supports.
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Another incredibly important theory is the idea of Individual Self-Fulfillment, created by C. Edwin Baker. In this theory, free speech enables individuals to express and thereby create their own identity (and maybe find kindred spirits). In turn, this becomes an aspect of human dignity, agency, and autonomy.
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Having the right to protest for what you believe in is an essential part of the First Amendment. The Stonewall Riots, which occurred after police raided a gay bar in Greenwich Village in New York City in 1969, served as the starting point on the journey to equality for members of the LGBTQ+ community. After the raids, people came together in protest for various issues that LGBTQ+ members faced daily. These issues included the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policies and the overturn of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
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On June 27th, 2009, protestors from the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network gathered outside of the White House to protest against the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Check out a video of that here:
On November 15th, 2010, “thirteen gay rights activists handcuffed themselves to the White House fence Monday afternoon, calling for President Barack Obama to work harder for repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" ban on gay service members serving openly” (https://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/11/15/dadt.protesters/index.html). These two protests are completely protected under the First Amendment. Leading up to the landmark overturn of DOMA in 2013, protestors chose to use their freedom of speech (protected by the First Amendment) to state their desires of the overturn. People would gather together, create signs, and walk through the streets of various cities to try and get their voices heard. Again, this is completely allowed through the First Amendment. Check out a video of activists (on both sides) being interviewed after the landmark decision:
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These two instances also support Baker’s idea of finding kindred spirits. Through these demonstrations (many of which were shown on social media and television), people that felt sheltered or uncomfortable with their sexuality were able to see others like them, which allowed them to feel more confident and comfortable with themselves. I feel that this is incredibly special and important, and we need to continue using our voices to share our thoughts with the world.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/article/what-is-qanon.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YG1DQyw5qM
https://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/11/15/dadt.protesters/index.html
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