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Blog Post 10

The freedom of speech is necessary for democracy. The freedom of speech allows the facilitation of free and open discussion, promotes citizen participation in the political process, and supports freedom of press. (Tedford & Herbeck, 2017) The press functions in many ways to preserve democracy.  One of the most important functions is to serve as a "watch dog". The average citizen does not have the time or the resources required to stay updated on the latest policies, announcements, actions, etc. the press is a powerful medium that facilities communication and awareness between the two.  The press has access to information that a large majority of citizens do not and it is necessary that we have the ability to circulate this information. The press can serve as a "powerful antidote" to remedy any abuses of power and also play a large role in elections as well. 

 Because of the important role the press plays it is easy to see why it is alarming that President Trump often engages in anti-press rhetoric and targets certain media outlets. Trump's attacks on the media have inspired other foreign leaders to criticize the media within their countries as well. This can be extremely dangerous in countries that already  lack freedom of speech protections. In many other countries, journalists can face prosecution, jail time, and violence for reporting critically on the government. (Grynbaum, 2017) Many media outlets and government officials have openly criticize Trump for his antics against the media. “Trump’s eagerness to win the favor of autocrats remains one of the most concerning aspects of his presidency,” said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist and communications director for Senator Marco Rubio’s presidential bid. “If the leader of the free world does not champion the free press, then who will?” (Grynbaum, 2017)

 How the media and the American public responds to Trump's war against the media has important implications for attitudes concerning democracy. Because other foreign leaders are seeing Trump's behavior as a "green light" to further restrict the media in their own countries it is important we remain resilient in criticizing his actions. Protecting the speech rights of the media is crucial to protecting democracy and their political systems. 
                                                         Works Cited
Grynbaum, Michael M. . “Trump and Russia Seem to Find Common Foe: The American Press.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 27 Nov. 2017. Web. 
Tedford, Thomas L., and Dale Herbeck. Freedom of Speech in the United States. Strata Publishing, Inc., 2017.

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