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Essential Question - To what extent does government impact individual freedom, and what level is acceptable for a functioning society? Should the government play a role in regulating freedom at all? 

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Essential Question - To what extent does government impact individual freedom, and what level is acceptable for a functioning society? Should the government play a role in regulating freedom at all? 

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Source One - "Why Is Freedom of Speech an Important Right? When, If Ever, Can It Be Limited?"

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Source One - "Why Is Freedom of Speech an Important Right? When, If Ever, Can It Be Limited?"

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This article discusses the complex concept of freedom. It talks about how in a Supreme Court case it was said that one should not falsely yell fire in a large crowd because “that speech does not contribute to the range of ideas being discussed in society.” However, forty years later in a separate case, it was deemed that inflammatory speech, such as racist hate language from a KKK leader should be protected unless it would cause violence. This shows that sometimes it might be beneficial to the public for the government to regulate freedom of speech, even though that goes against the constitution. The article argues that America is built on freedom, but when others are at risk that freedom should be restricted.

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Why Is Freedom of Speech an Important Right? When, if Ever, Can It Be Limited? (Published 2018)

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Even though the concept of freedom of speech on its face seems quite simple, in reality there are complex lines that can be drawn around what kinds of speech are protected and in what setting.

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Source Two - Ted Talk: Freedom of expression and understanding

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Source Two - Ted Talk: Freedom of expression and understanding

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This Ted Talk does not only take into account the importance of individuality but also shows how dangerous ignorance can be to a society. If a government uses too much power, it may regulate the people's understanding, causing ignorance. The whole agenda of this Ted Talk was to display people having different ideas, and using their freedom to express themselves in multiple new ways. With uniformity and ignorance, this individuality becomes virtually impossible. This does not mean the government should have no regulation per say, but there should be enough to keep freedom of expression and speech true.

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Under the topic of freedom of expression, the speech explores the urge of expressing oneself in the intuitive nature of human beings, and the science behind transforming ideas into language. As a student enrolled in IB diploma program, the speaker, Martin Li, personally want to understand the reasons behind my urge of expressing my passion.

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This image shows influence that the government has over individual freedom. It is telling the viewer that defending American freedom is the responsibility of all Americans. The image is meant to cause Americans to want to protect their freedom and think it is their own idea when it is actually the government influencing them to think that. Even if the government is not regulating their freedom, it is influencing their concept of freedom and implementing/promoting it as a value for the country as a whole.

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This image is another example of freedom propaganda. The government is not regulating freedom but instead promoting it as an ideal value of the United States and influencing Americans to take actions to protect it. The image compares different times when Americans fought for their freedom and is telling the viewer it is their duty to uphold that legacy. The government is playing a role in American’s perception of freedom, even if they are not directly regulating it.

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Source Five - Poem "To the Censorious Ones" by Anne Waldman

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Source Five - Poem "To the Censorious Ones" by Anne Waldman

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This poem expresses the idea of revolution against government censure and control. It uses descriptive metaphors to enhance the actions to end the oppression, such as “coming up out of the tomb” and the ground crumbling under the feet of the “Censorious Ones,” or government. The poem relates to the view that government hinders freedom and expression, and should be stopped. The poet values all parts of society, and believes that all the good, bad, and ugly is necessary for true freedom and humanity.

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I'm coming up out of the tomb, Men of War

Just when you thought you had me down, in place, hidden

Can you feel the ground rumble under your feet?

It's breaking apart, it's turning over, it's pushing up

It's thrusting into your point of view, your private property

O Men of War, Censorious Ones!

get ready big boys get ready

I'm coming up with all that was hidden

Get ready, Big Boys, get ready

I'm coming up with all you wanted buried,

All the hermetic texts with stories in them of hot & dangerous women

Women with lascivious tongues, sharp eyes & claws

I've been working out, my muscles are strong

I'm pushing up the earth with all you try to censor

All the iconoclasm & bravado you scorn

All the taunts against your banner & salute

I'm coming up from Hell with all you ever suppressed

All the dark fantasies, all the dregs are coming back

I'm leading them back up now

They're going to bark & scoff & rage & bite

Anne Waldman, "To the Censorious Ones" from In the Room of Never Grieve: New and Selected Poems, 1985-2003. Copyright © 2003 by Anne Waldman. Reprinted by permission of Coffee House Press.

Source: In the Room of Never Grieve: New and Selected Poems, 1985-2003 (Coffee House Press, 2003)

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To the Censorious Ones by Anne Waldman | Poetry Foundation

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I'm coming up out of the tomb, Men of War Just when you thought you had me down, in place, hidden Can you feel the ground rumble under your feet? It's breaking apart, it's turning over, it's pushing up It's thrusting into your point of view, your private property O Men of War, Censorious Ones!

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Source Six - Poem "Nuns Fret Not at Their Convent's Narrow Room" by William Wordsworth

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Source Six - Poem "Nuns Fret Not at Their Convent's Narrow Room" by William Wordsworth

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This poem presents an opposing view to the common idea that government hinders freedom. Instead, Wordsworth proposes that limitation can actually be freeing in itself, providing an opportunity for quiet contemplation and work. He uses a variety of examples of groups of people content with a smaller space in which to live and thrive, from nuns to students. He claims that liberty can have too much “weight,” so limitations are beneficial. While Wordsworth doesn’t directly mention government, his view can be applied to claim that government regulations can spur further success and focus. Even the format of a poem presents limitations that can be utilized to create organized insight and intellect.

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Nuns Fret Not at Their Convent's Narrow Room by... | Poetry Foundation

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Nuns fret not at their convent's narrow room;

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Source Seven - "Is Government a Threat to Our Freedom?"

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Source Seven - "Is Government a Threat to Our Freedom?"

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This article reveals that the majority of the public claims the federal government threatens their personal rights and freedoms. The Pew Research Center polls state that this view is much more pronounced among Republicans (61%) and independents (57%) than among Democrats (28%) when Barack Obama began his second term. However, when George W. Bush was president, Democrats and independents were more likely than Republicans to view the government as a threat. The bottom line is that both parties and the majority of citizens viewed the government as a threat to “your own personal rights and freedoms.” This indicates that the government's position with regulating freedom does not always cater to an individual's needs. If the majority of citizens feel a certain way, especially towards the government, it’s an obvious indicator that a critical look at policies is needed.

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My book Libertarianism: A Primer , published in 1997, begins with this paragraph: In 1995 Gallup pollsters found that 39 percent of Americans said that "the federal government has become so large and powerful that it poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens."

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Source Eight - Freedom or Government Control — There Is No True "Third Way" | Bradley Thomas

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Source Eight - Freedom or Government Control — There Is No True "Third Way" | Bradley Thomas

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This article expresses the idea of socialism and capitalism having a middle ground, a ‘third way.’ They define the difference between socialism and capitalism, using examples from the real world. In the end, there is no sustainable way to organize the economy in the ‘third way.’ The article gives a view into how much freedom can be given to organizations and the flaws behind it—overall, providing proof that the American government has a limited choice of freedom to organizations.