All of the theories of speech are so important to our First Amendment rights, they uphold our values and protect free expression. They analyze how free speech is essential for a successful democracy and clears the way for Americans to participate in our civil duties of holding our government responsible. Not only does free speech keep our government stable it also keeps society sane, it allows us to find ourselves.
1. Marketplace of ideas (Discovery of truth): John Milton's idea that truth will prevail when it can compete with falsehoods is still highly spoken about today. The media is bigger today than it ever has been, that said there is more false information than ever as well. Milton's idea is that when you let the people speak freely the truth will always come out on top. In the past this has not been the case, Misinformation and false news have spread like wildfires regarding politics, celebrities, and just about anything you can think of. This theory has been studied for years and a new topic circulating is Ai. The question is could Ai be the discovery of truth? Some researchers say no, AI is not capable of doing this based on flaws and possible misinformation simply due to the information environment. I believe that there will truly always be false information spread but it is up to the viewer to find reliable and unbiased sources.
2. Participation in Self-Government: Alexander Meiklejohn was an American philosopher who studied the relationship between free speech and self-government. This is such an important factor in a democracy and is a major key part in keeping it running the way it is. While reading Meiklejohn's theory it's evident that he wants us Americans to understand our government and constitution. He expresses how important it is to protect the freedom of speech to ensure Americans can truly have an understanding of what our politicians hold as their values and beliefs so that we can make decisions for ourselves. I find this to be so important in today's politics as debates get far more heated than in the past. The freedom of speech is so important but we must also protect one's intentions by not manipulating one's speech and making it something it is not.
3. Stable Change (Safety Value): Venting is something that we all do as humans, it's a natural expression in response to stress, frustration, or concern. Benedict Spinoza's thought process is that if we let people express themselves freely that this will prevent them from acting out in violence. While some Americans still do act out in violence, I fully believe that this has worked to provide people an outlet to state their ideas and feelings peacefully without disruption or violence whether this be peaceful protest, discussion, or on social media. I find this theory to be something that all Americans can resonate with.
4. Individual Self-Fulfillment (Self-Actualization): Baker's theory really speaks to me, his idea is that the primary justification for free speech is for one to be capable of finding themselves, I also feel like this relates to Participation in self-government. I think that a lot of the time us Americans want to complain about our government as we rightfully should but, we also forget how incredibly lucky we are to live in a country that allows us to criticize, voice our thoughts, and even speak. There are countries where you will be killed for doing so. This is not just a political tool it's so that every American can be who they want to be and discover their identity.
5. Check on governmental power: Vince Blasi's idea is that free speech serves as a check on our government. This is definitely one of America's favorite things to do when it comes to free speech. We must hold the government accountable to prevent/stop corruption and abuse. If the government does abuse their power some possible outcomes will be judicial review, legislation changes, or impeachment. So next time you hear someone calling out the government you can think of Vince Blasi.
Click here for a list of officials that have been impeached
6. Promote tolerance: Lee Bollinger's theory of the tolerant society reminds me a lot of what my mom has taught me in life. Growing up I can remember my mom saying "I'm not going to raise my kids to think the world is rainbows and sunshine" Bollinger's idea is that when we let people express themselves even in a hateful manner we take that as a lesson and become tolerable to different aspects of society. If you have ever heard the saying "ignorance is bliss" this theory probably sounds very familiar. Witnessing someone else's actions and manners can be an eye-opener and a great reminder of who we don't want to be. 
7. Promote innovation: Like Baker's theory of Self-fulfillment, Jack Balkin says that when we value free expression, it gives us the confidence to create, be ourselves, and pursue careers that not only impact ourselves but the whole world. Today, we have social media to share our thoughts and ideas with a select few friends or just anyone that comes across our posts. Social media has had an insane impact on businesses, small or large, entrepreneurs, and outlets for new ideas. We live in a society where new innovations are celebrated and acknowledged.
8. Protect Dissent: Finally, we have Steve Shiffrin's idea that the First Amendment protects minority views. Like checking on the government, it is our responsibility to protect our democracy from abuse. It is our right as Americans to alter any government that becomes destructive. Dissentive is not always what we see ourselves doing but we need it to keep a healthy and balanced government. Forms of dissent can be peaceful protests or speaking out on social media. We must continue to protect our freedom of speech because it will continue to protect us as long as we use it correctly.
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