Ah, free expression — the ability to say what you say, what you want, and how you want, until someone drops a bag over your head and stuffs you in the back of a van. Such is the difficulty that free expression poses. Our supposed right to express ourselves can lead to severe repercussions. But regarding this project, I’m only covering the ability to exercise free expression, not its consequences. I’m also not focusing on the “truth” of said expression since that aspect is (as it has become) another can of worms.

Let’s face it. The adage of “always tell the truth” notwithstanding, honesty might be what we aspire to, but it can sometimes lead to a black eye. Truthtellers often end up in prison while liars sit in the White House having verbal bowel movements at 3 in the morning. But I digress.

Without freedom of expression, we cannot think for ourselves, challenge the status quo, and hold our leaders accountable.

• “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” – George Orwell
• “Freedom of speech is the bedrock of liberty.” – Benjamin Franklin
• “The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become free yourself and to help others to become free.” – Nelson Mandela
• “The right to freedom of expression is the cornerstone of all democratic freedoms.” – Kofi Annan
• “Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as courage.” – Thomas Jefferson

Freedom of expression is also essential for a healthy democracy. A democracy depends on the free flow of information and ideas. If people are not free to express their views, the government can easily control the flow of information and silence dissent. But free expression is not always easy. We often hear things that we do not like or agree with. Yet freedom of expression is not about protecting our right to say things that everyone agrees with. It is about protecting our right to say things people may disagree with.

If we want to live in a free society, we must defend freedom of expression. We must speak out against censorship and suppression. We must support organizations that are working to protect this freedom. And we must never take our freedom of expression for granted. Because once freedom is lost, it is difficult, if not impossible, to regain. Freedom is not guaranteed but something that must be fought for and defended.

Nor is freedom absolute. We may need to give up some freedom to protect other freedoms or to ensure the safety of others. However, we must be careful not to give up too much freedom or risk losing our liberty altogether.

• “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” – Benjamin Franklin, 1755
• “He who gives up freedom for safety deserves neither safety nor freedom.” – Benjamin Franklin, 1775
• “If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest man, I will find something in them which will hang him.” – Joseph de Maistre, 1819
• “The first step in the destruction of a free society is the destruction of the free mind.” – Adlai Stevenson, 1952
• “When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.” – Thomas Jefferson, 1787

So, we must also be vigilant against those trying to take away our freedom. They may come in the guise of friends or protectors, but their goal is always to control us. Freedom is a precious gift. We must cherish it and defend it at all costs. Particularly against those who sell an illusion, evoking another time and place when freedom only belonged to the select few with their hands on the reins of power. But how do such “bad actors” accomplish this coercion? Through censorship and suppression.