by Can Tran

Created on: April 26, 2007   Last Updated: May 14, 2007

Freedom of speech is very crucial for the media. Of course there's going to be people on the news expressing their personal views whether they are left-wing, right-wing, ultra liberal, ultra conservative, etc. The freedom of speech is the freedom to express things such as how we feel such as the impact of such events that took place within the last few years and events that are ongoing: '06 elections, Iraq, Afghanistan, terrorism, immigration reform, job outsourcing, Hurricane Katrina, Sudan, Virginia Tech, etc.

There are going to be people that will abuse the freedom of speech. A few days ago Bill Maher on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno said that he didn't agree with many of the things that Rosie O'Donell said. But he's glad that Rosie was able to be able to say that stuff. Freedom of speech is the most valuable freedom that we have in this country.

There are plenty of countries whose media do not have freedom of speech, meaning you're only knowing what the government only wants you to hear. Without freedom of speech, we wouldn't be getting the full news. We'd all be kept in the dark. For those reasons, the media needs to have freedom of speech. If the media here didn't have freedom of speech, there would be so much that we'd be kept in the dark and become totally ignorant about.

If the media didn't have freedom of speech, we wouldn't have seen in-depth of what's going on in Iraq. We wouldn't have any of those documentaries whether they were left-wing, right-wing, anti-war, pro-war, pro-gay, anti-immigration, etc. If the media didn't have freedom of speech, all sides would be affected.

I remember one segment that CNN covered a few weeks back in England where the moderate Muslims were taking their religion back from the more radical and vocal Muslims. If the media didn't have freedom of speech, I would not have been able to watch that segment.

Because of the media having freedom of speech, we were able to get in-depth information on the flaws of the e-voting machines that were implemented for the '06 elections. That was very valuable information. Under the current administration if the media didn't have freedom of speech, I highly doubt we would be informed about the e-voting machines and the questionable connections of the company that built and programmed those very same e-voting machines.

It was the media's freedom of speech that gave people a voice. When Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi, the media's freedom of speech gave those disenfranchised citizens a voice. If the media didn't have freedom of speech, we would very much be kept in the dark on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

In dire situations such as missing persons and especially in the case of missing children, the media's freedom of speech is very precious. Families missing their loved ones constantly turn to the media for help. The media is a powerful tool. Without the freedom of speech, that tool is just worthless.

If the media in this country lacked the freedom of speech, we would know nothing. With freedom of speech, various opinions and views can be expressed at one table. We get to see people debate. Freedom of speech is the most precious overall freedom that we have. And it's the one freedom that is indeed precious to the media. Of course there were many depressing things on the news, but at least we're not in the dark.

Without freedom of speech, the only way we'd learn things would be in books. But history books can be changed just like that. While on the news, it's all happening in real time. If the media had no freedom of speech, there would be so many great and important things we'd be missing out on.

Remember to be depressed is bad. But to be ignorant and in the dark is far worse.

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