Question.953 - Respond to each of the following prompts in at least 300 words using 2 assigned sources PER response. 1. Conceptions of what it means to be "American" have shifted both legally and culturally. Compare original ideas of what it meant to be American within a modern context. How has this shifted in the ways that rights have been expanded? Is there still more progress or issues of inequality that need to be addressed? 2. Identify a specific change to the Constitution since its inception. What issue did this center around? What was the historical context and what is the current context of the specific issue? 3. What are the limits of freedom of speech, specifically when we consider the recent conversations. Should "all" perspectives be included? What are your rights as a citizen? For example: Can you say whatever you want on social media and not be fired from your job? Do you have the "right" to have a Facebook account and not be moderated?
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Midterm Short Answer Kim SungjinGreen River College American Government POLS& 202 Dr. Lindsey Smith May 7th, 2023 Midterm Short Answer 1) Considering the weekly reading, the initial concept of what it indicated to be an American was based on democratic, liberty, and equality beliefs. These ideals were embodied in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which established a structure for preserving citizens' rights and holding the executive branch responsible to the people. Yet, the statutory and societal definitions of what constitutes to be an American have evolved throughout time. One significant change has been the increase of rights. Women and African Americans, for instance, did not get the right to vote until the twentieth century. The 1960s Civil Rights Movement resulted in additional rights expansion, notably the passing of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. In recent times, the LGBTQ+ community has made considerable progress in securing acceptance and legal rights, such as same-sex marriage?legalization. Notwithstanding these advances, there remain inequalities that must be addressed. People of?color, for instance, continue to confront systematic discrimination in numerous sectors, notably educational institutions, housing, and the justice system in general. Income inequality is another major issue, with the gap between the rich and the poor widening. There are also continuous discussions concerning immigration and the rights of?unauthorized?immigrants. In recent years, there has been a rise in ideological?polarization?between both of the main political parties. As a result, there is more focus on partisanship and less readiness to negotiate and cooperate across party lines. A variety of reasons have contributed to this tendency, including the advent of social media and the proliferation of news sources that pander to certain ideological positions. 2) Considering the weekly reading and my understanding, the 26th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was one of the amendments that was made in term of lowering the voters age from 21 to 18, which widened the scope of illegality for the states pertaining to the voting rights to citizens in order to the age. In the early 1970s, the amendment was ratified, which stirred up several civil protests in addition to the brought in by the Vietnam War, wherein the younger generation who were drafted to take part in the war demanded the right vote with the notion that when they were being considered for the fight against Vietnam, their voting rights were not being considering. They were demanding the voting rights in the basis of democratic process, and questioning the very basic decision-making rights on the war. Which was further fueled by reasoning towards fighting for the war and how the government was not able to comprehend the reason for the protest. While when the protests surged the congress passed the 26th Amendment which were later ratified by several states in just months time. Considering the present context, since its passage, the 26th Amendment has exerted a considerable influence on American politics; the younger generation are becoming a growing influential demographic in US elections with the authority to shift entire political framework and also contribute to a larger number of populations, and their votes have contributed to change the political environment in a variety of ways. For instance, in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, youthful voters were critical in helping Barack Obama win the presidency; while resulting in relevancy to younger generation issues including climate change and social justice, have gained prominence in US politics as a consequence of their activity and lobbying. There are still difficulties in guaranteeing that younger generation voters?having?equitable access to the voting booth. People who belong to the marginalized?groups are disproportionately affected by voter suppression attempts such as tight voter ID requirements and limited voting sites. Furthermore, there is a?continuous trend of?voters?suffering with?lack of transportation and trouble comprehending the complicated voting procedure. 3) Nate Cohn and Kevin Quealy's (2020) article "How Public Opinion Has Moved on Black Lives Matter" examines how public opinion on the Black Lives Matter movement has shifted over time. Concerning the boundaries of free speech, "How Is Public Opinion Measured?" (n.d.) gives considerable perspective into how Americans perceive the issue. While the first amendment tends to protect the free speech of every citizen, it draws in several ethical consideration such as how does how does it protect the speech that is made out of hate or those that violates ones civil rights; while in terms recent shift in the political structure regardless of the freedom of speech, several perspective needs to be included since constitution is for the people, with the dynamic trend in terms of a shift in social and political framework what is hate speech needs to be redefined. The rights protected for the citizens to explore, in this context can be intricate and reliant upon a multitude of factors, which may incorporate the setting of speech (i.e. private or public) and the speaker's role, as either a citizen or an employee of a business entity, and how it infringes ones civil rights when exhibited or expressed. In terms of social media usage, employees may be subject to limitations in expressing their personal opinions if such expressions have potential to adversely impact their employer's image or reputation. Nonetheless, in the event that an employee is expressing their individual viewpoints, they are bequeathed protections by the First Amendment. In reference to moderation practices implemented on social media platforms, it is justifiable for such entities to exercise their prerogative in moderating content that contravenes their stipulated terms of service. Consequently, it can be argued that individuals do not possess an unequivocal entitlement to maintain a Facebook account devoid of moderation.More Articles From Political Science
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