Free Expression? (8 Values)

 Freedom of Expression, why is it so important? Why is it that America values this more than other countries? The freedom of expression comes with the First Amendment, giving U.S. citizens the right to freely speak, peacefully protest, freedom of the press, petition the government, and express our religious views without government interference. These five inalienable rights are the most precious and valuable right of a free people against governmental tyranny.  We have a strongly protected right to disagree with the government and any one else. We as citizens of the United States have a patriotic duty to criticize the government when they begin to abuse the power given to them through the United States constitution by the consent of the governed.  An example of this goes back to the founding ideals of America. Frustrated and angry with Britain, the American colonists began to express their anger with the British taxes that were levied to eliminate the debt as a result of the French and Indian War. The freedom of expression began with the famous "No taxation without representation" mantra. When this spoken protest got very little results, the colonists realized that actions speaks louder than words. The Sons of Liberty out of Boston, Massachusetts began to boycott British products and protest British taxation as a more effective means of expressing their discontent. As the events continued to unfold the British government became more tyrannical and the colonists became more expressive. Events such as, the Stamp Act Riots, The Boston Massacre, and the Boston Tea Party, were the ultimate examples of freedom of expression for the American colonies. The Stamp Act Riots were caused because of the British tax on the colonies for every piece of paper. The Boston Massacre was a riot that broke out because major force the British were putting on the colonists. This rebellion led to the British shooting at the colonists, ending in a bloody slaughter. The Boston Tea Party was a protest on a tax the British put on tea. The colonists dumped chests of tea imported from Britain into the harbor out of frustration for the imposing tax. The oppressive actions of the British government coupled with the fearless and patriotic expression of antigovernment protests by the colonies would be the spark to ignite the American Revolution for independence. This goes to show that the freedom of expression in a variety of forms is built into the DNA of every American.