FYS

1. Jarrod Hunley
FYS
Blanco
Spring 2015
Should Journalists’ Free Speech Be Regulated…Yes, to an extent.
“If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to
the slaughter” George Washington
In writing the Constitution our founding fathers laid the ground work for future
generations so that our republic could survive tried to give us personal liberties as well. One of
the things we hold most dear is our freedom of speech. What we must understand is that in our
ever changing times there are some things that must change with them. The design of the
Constitution was set up so that it could be fluid and revisited for changes so that it would always
cover the people. Every change however should always follow the intent of the Constitution.
Freedom of speech is one of the items that were instituted so that the people would
always have a say in this new government. It needs to be viewed with a reasonable interpretation
of both its language and power. I personally do not think the founding fathers would have ever
imagined a world like we live in today.
What we must consider here is in our age of technology and free flowing information that
is now global how should we regulate free speech so that it is truthful. The United States has
been following a path that has continued to follow a very negative approach concerning free
speech. By taking this path it has linked free speech with the commercial media. 1 It has even
been taken one step further and now has given rise to corporate America under Citizens United.

2. By making these broadening reading of the Constitution we are now in an area that has become
grey.
Free Speech always needs a positive approach that includes diversity but with our current
widening of what is covered under the law we have basically opened it up for abuse. 1 Our
vision of what is covered by the original intent of free speech has been watered down to the point
that it has no real value. Free speech should be just that but with the level of negative and hateful
tones that current dominate our media spectrum it is time to rethink about its intent.
There is a lot at stake here. The choices that need to be made between what is ideal and
what is our moral responsibility need to be addressed. It has been pointed out that we need to
crystallize and make a distinction here between what is speech and what is action. This must be
done in order to negotiate our relationships. 2 This is enhanced to by the need to regulate so that
we maintain our freedom of expression while at the same time remain moral. It is important to
understand that because the language of the Constitution was written in a different time it is our
obligation and duty to continue to keep its original intent in tack. It is one thing to be protected as
a journalist but another when the power of money is able to have a voice.
It is currently obvious that the media will not regulate itself. With the current influx of
money into the private system and the reduction of publicly funded broadcasting we cannot
expect it. In the age of technology and fact checking it is noteworthy to point out that in our
current TV media news more people trust the most untruthful news source. This fact is
frightening on so many levels. In order for the rest of the world to view us as a beacon of
democracy we need to find the needed regulations to make sure we are just that. We must
maintain a level of honesty and integrity so that those in other countries who are struggling to
create their democracies will have an example of how to not our current this is what you don’t

3. do. Again we need to adjust the gap. It is up to us to determine idea and material.2 It is up to our
generation to take back the lead and show that not all regulation is bad but that some is necessary
to maintain the original intent of the Constitution. When they were drafting and trying to protect
everyone’s right to speak, after being under the monarchy and not being able to do so, what
would they say today? A simple glance at some of the litigation that covers some of the bizarre
and amusing cases throughout history would not only make them giggle but also blush. The mere
idea that we would have allowed something as simple as free speech turn into courtroom dramas
filled with frivolous law suits over such things as dirty words, naked dancing at age 72 or what
label can go on the butt side of your jeans probably never crossed their minds when penning the
original document. 3 I am just guessing here but I in vision them making us explain just exactly
how we got here.
It now falls upon us. Our generation is quickly reaching the point where we will be
responsible for the direction that free speech moves. It is our job to both preserve the intent of
the law and maintain our individual freedom. We are the children born into the age of technology
and we should be far more concerned about maintaining our values. Growing up and having to
endure all the politically correctness we are the generation that is far more accepting of all the
changes that are going on in our society today. What we cannot allow happen is that in all of this
correctness we allow our media to become corrupt. It is not the journalist that needs to be
regulated for he or she needs to have the ability to report the facts. What needs the regulation is
the media system itself. They can no longer be trusted to self-regulate because in today’s world
there are far too many individuals running our media outlets. This leaves the journalist always
beholden to their bosses. With free speech comes responsibility and that responsibility is now
ours. We don’t need to do any more than make sure that the intent of the Constitution is upheld.

4. The intent was to give each of us free speech which should be held with pride. The assumption
that its intent was to cover everything is what we will need to address. It’s not just the journalist
but the broader expansions that need regulations in order for the diversity of us all to continue to
contribute.
“What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives
everything it’s value.” – Thomas Paine
It is time that we put the valued added measure of a few simple regulations to both
journalists and the media. We need to ourselves maintain a level of respect and integrity within
our own free speech rights so that we are honest and not hateful. By taking these few simple
measures we will add the value back that is needed to maintain the dearness of our free speech.
We all need to be aware that with free speech comes responsibility.

5. Works Cited