Suppressing Dissent in Wartime

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/interim-security-insights-and-implications-from-the-first-two-months-of-the-russia-ukraine-war/

I enjoyed exploring stories from The American Conservative and Antiwar.com. Antiwar.com’s tagline reads “Your best source for antiwar news, viewpoints, and activities.” Many of the current top stories on Antiwar.com are related to the ongoing war in Ukraine, especially the United States’ involvement in the war. The American Conservative, whose tagline includes, “embraces realism and restraint in foreign affairs based on America’s vital national interests,” features a wider variety of stories, all with a conservative, right-leaning viewpoint. Recent stories on The American Conservative include those discussing US defense pacts and many written about the war in Ukraine. Overall, a large portion of both websites is dedicated to the American government’s involvement in the war between Ukraine and Russia.

It is quite uncommon to see so many antiwar stories on mainstream news networks. I can’t recall seeing any stories from left-leaning networks such as CNN or NBC discouraging US involvement in the war, and have only seen similar stories from right-leaning networks like Fox News. Historically, antiwar voices have always been discouraged or silenced in the media. The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 briefly allowed the government to prosecute people who criticized the government, especially those expressing antiwar sentiments. While all but one of these acts were repealed within a few years, the government, and society, still finds ways to suppress antiwar voices.

The government has, at times, used laws such as the Espionage Act to suppress dissent. Today, it is likely that the government attempts to suppress certain voices by pressuring social media and news companies, and society as a whole can also help to hide antiwar ideas. Wartime generally helps to unify citizens in support of the war, and, if a majority (or a large enough group) of people support the war, they can discourage or cover up the dissenting opinions shared by others. Regardless of the situation, it is vital that voices of agreement and disagreement be shared and publicized, to maintain a free society.

 

https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/free-speech-during-wartime/

https://www.theamericanconservative.com

https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=3904

https://www.antiwar.com

https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/treasures_of_congress/text/page5_text.html

EOTO 1: What I Learned

https://learnbright.org/philo-t-farnsworth/

During our Each One Teach One presentations last week, I learned about the invention and development of many important technologies, including the first television. Sophia discussed the invention of the television during her presentation. Philo Farnsworth, an inventor from Utah, is credited with the invention of the electronic television. Known as a “technical prodigy from a young age,” (Encyclopedia Britannica), Farnsworth had long been intrigued by the prospect of electronic television, and developed a plan for how one would work in 1922. In 1927, he built the first working electronic television, and presented it to the press in 1928. Farnsworth’s investors were bought out by RCA in 1930. The head of RCA’s own electronic television project offered him $100,000 for his invention, but Farnsworth declined, and later formed his own company, eventually reaching a licensing deal with AT&T.

 

The invention of the electronic television had far-reaching impacts on society. As Sophia said, without Farnsworth’s invention, people could have never seen significant events such as the moon landing, and there would be no television industry today. While radio shows had been popularized prior to the introduction of the television, the new device allowed people to hear and see images at the same time. Today, it is estimated that 123.8 million US homes have a television. (Statista) There were also negative consequences as a result of the invention of the electronic television. According to Sophia’s presentation, studies have shown that people who watch more television are more unhappy, and that television can make people more violent, contributes to childhood obesity, and diminishes self-esteem.

 

Like all of the inventions we discussed in class, the development of electronic television proved to be extremely significant, and plays a major role in our lives today. Without the ability to broadcast images onto a screen, we likely would not have many of the electronic devices we now rely on now.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Philo-Farnsworth

https://www.statista.com/statistics/243789/number-of-tv-households-in-the-us/#:~:text=According%20to%20estimates%2C%20there%20are,the%202022%2D2023%20TV%20season.

The Printing Press

https://www.britannica.com/technology/printing-press

This week, I studied the history and impact of the printing press. The invention of the printing press has been traditionally attributed to Johannes Gutenberg. Gutenberg was a German political exile and inventor, who spent years developing a printing press in France. In reality, however, no one knows when the first printing press was invented, or by whom.

 

The first printing presses utilized printing blocks, where one large block would be made to print each full page. These first printing presses were inefficient and expensive to operate. A major development for the printing press was the invention of ‘movable type’ printing. Rather than using one unique block to print an entire page, movable type printing used blocks of individual letters that could be arranged and reused. The first movable type printing press was developed in China by Bi Sheng, and used wooden blocks. Another man, Wang Chen, improved the woodblock printing process in 1297, by making the wooden blocks more durable and the typesetters more efficient.

 

Johannes Gutenberg further improved the printing press in the 1440’s, and introduced the device to Europe. Gutenberg’s printing press swapped the wooden blocks for metal, which was considerably more durable. Additionally, he developed a more efficient process for producing the letter blocks, his own type of printing ink, and a method to flatten the paper during printing. Following some legal trouble, Gutenberg’s equipment was eventually taken and used by his former partner.

 

The development and improvement of the printing press over a period of many years had an extremely widespread impact on society. The printing press allowed for a far more affordable and efficient method of book production. This new technology allowed for the spread of information to take place like never before, which led to a variety of positive and negative consequences.

 

The increasingly rapid spread of information, in turn meant that dissenting ideas about established religion, politics, and more were more widely available. In fact, Pope Alexander VI threatened excommunication for those printing without the church’s approval in 1501. The first official newspaper appeared in 1605, as a result of the printing press’ introduction to Europe. As mass commercial printing continued to expand, the amount of printed material grew at an exponential rate. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “By 1500, after only 50 years of printing, there were more than 9,000,000 books.” The invention and spread of the printing press is also believed to be largely responsible for the decline of the Latin language, and contributed to the Renaissance.

 

While the printing press had many positive effects, some effects may be considered negative. For example, the ability to publish material that challenged the Catholic church led to persecution for some. Others used the printing press as a method of spreading hateful ideology, and documents that challenged the power structures in some places eventually led to war. Although it is important to recognize the negative effects of the printing press’ introduction, its invention was unquestionably a positive, monumental development, that changed the world from Asia, to Europe, and beyond.

 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/publishing/The-age-of-early-printing-1450-1550

https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/printing-press#section_9

 

Values of Free Expression

https://share.america.gov/three-cases-that-show-what-free-speech-means/

In studying the Eight Values of Free Expression, I feel that the Marketplace of Free Ideas resonates most with me. Following the rise of social media, the concept of ‘fake news’ or misinformation/disinformation has become a major talking point for those on both sides of the political spectrum. Donald Trump’s 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns featured regular mentions of the ‘fake-news media,’ and I believe that those campaigns gave rise to the increased discussion of fake news and misinformation on social media today. While it is often frustrating to see explicitly incorrect information being posted and shared on social media, I agree with John Milton’s idea, that truth will prevail when pitted against false information. 

Personally, I also believe strongly in the value of Protecting Dissent. As someone who is ‘politically homeless,’ I often feel pressured to align with one political party or the other, but it is my right and responsibility to voice my opinions, regardless of how they may be accepted by others. Granted, the protection of dissent does allow for people with hateful or offensive beliefs to state their opinions, but even those statements should be allowed to ensure we have many of our freedoms as Americans.

 

If Americans became more informed and involved in self-government, I believe the country could have a stronger political system. Although many Americans purport to be deeply politically involved, statistics from the Pew Research Center showed that only 37% of citizens aged 18 or older voted in the 2018, 2020, and 2022 elections. If more Americans voted, our elected government would be more representative of the general population.

 

It is easy to see the concept of Checks on Governmental Power in the United States today, especially in the wake of former president Donald Trump’s multiple indictments and arrests for crimes allegedly committed in relation to the 2020 election and 2021 January 6^th incident. Additionally, stories such as the Supreme Court striking down President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan provide ample examples for checks and balances being used in the government today.

 

One value of free expression that I feel may be facing difficulty today is the idea of Promoting Tolerance. While I agree with the sentiment that protecting hate speech helps society determine appropriate behavior, I worry that today, society may be losing sight of what should be considered acceptable speech. Political speech, by both citizens and candidates, seems to be becoming increasingly strange and disrespectful, so I hope that the country can return to a more civil habit of political speech.

 

Each value of free expression is crucial to the freedom of citizens and the limited power of the government. Without any one value of free expression, the government could infringe upon the rights of citizens. To ensure they fight for and utilize their rights, the people must stay well-informed about their afforded freedoms, and confront any violations of such rights. America is a country built on freedom, which is insured by our history of documents and decisions recording specific rights and responsibilities.

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/07/12/voter-turnout-2018-2022/

https://www.scotusblog.com/2023/06/supreme-court-strikes-down-biden-student-loan-forgiveness-program/

The Supreme Court

https://hls.harvard.edu/the-supreme-court-in-a-constitutional-democracy/

This week, I chose to read the overview of Supreme Court history by the History Channel. In reading this article, I learned a few facts about the Supreme Court that I was previously unaware of. For example, I did not know that the Chief Justice is required to serve on the Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents, or that the number of justices on the court has ranged from five to ten members over the years. Additionally, I found the article’s list of notable Supreme Court cases to be very interesting.

 

I believe the most important take-away point about the Supreme Court is a simple recognition of the Court’s power and historical influence throughout history. So many of the legal principles we ‘take for granted’ today were established in landmark Supreme Court cases, such as Mapp v. Ohio, U.S. v Nixon, and Texas v. Johnson.

 

While studying the history and practices of the Supreme Court, I have been intrigued by the seemingly mysterious nature of the Court’s decision process. Since the notable Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, I have paid much more attention to the Court’s ‘decision days’ at the end of Court terms. I was surprised to learn that the Court does not explicitly announce when opinions will be handed down, rather it is a ‘guessing game’ for the press as to when decisions may be published.

 

I feel that the American public today oftentimes fails to recognize how important the Supreme Court is in our current political system. Most are quite familiar with the executive and legislative branches, but the judicial branch can sometimes fade into the background. In reality, the work of the Supreme Court heavily influences our daily lives, and should be followed just as closely as the work of the other branches of the federal government.

https://www.history.com/topics/us-government/supreme-court-facts

My Preferred News Sources

National/World News: NBC News

For national and world news, I prefer NBC News. I follow NBC News on social media networks and use the NBC News app. I like NBC News, because its stories are varied and relevant. NBC appears to be relatively balanced in terms of political views, although the network does tend to lean left. The 'breaking news' alerts from the NBC app and social media channels are infrequent but useful.

nbcnews.com

Local News: FOX 8 WGHP

For local news regarding the Piedmont-Triad and North Carolina as a whole, I prefer FOX 8. FOX 8's stories cover a wide variety of issues and happenings, as well as local weather. I feel that most local news channels in the area, including FOX 8, are more unbiased than national news networks, and the stories often impact my daily life more than national news stories.

myfox8.com

Weather: Weather.com

When I need accurate and immediate information about local weather, I typically visit Weather.com. Because of its national status, I trust the forecasts and information from Weather.com, and I appreciate its variety of formats to see current weather information.

weather.com

Sports: ESPN

For sports news, I almost always use ESPN's website or mobile app. ESPN covers every major sport that I am a fan of, and has team-specific news for my favorite teams. While I don't browse ESPN as much as I do other news sources, I get regular ESPN app alerts for game scores and news, that keep me updated on everything happening in major sports leagues.

espn.com

Technology & Politics: Twitter/X

When I'm looking for news regarding technology or US politics, I check Twitter/X. Twitter does not send me 'breaking news' alerts, but features a trending/top stories page, which makes it easy to follow subjects that interest me. I enjoy Twitter's personalization features, which allow me to follow specific individuals that I trust for news. While technology news isn't a very polarizing subject, I am wary of political news found on Twitter, because stories could be partially or wholly untrue.

twitter.com