Why It's OK to Be Negative

      

                          
                                                    The Eight Values of Free Expression

    After reflecting on the Eight Values of Free Expression, the one that stood out most to me was Stable Change because of its unique outlook on expressing your feelings. Throughout our whole lives, we have all been told to always “be positive”; however, what if sometimes you just can't? What if sometimes you just need to let something out and then go about your day? The Stable Change value supports that, saying that citizens are allowed to speak their mind, or "vent," and that this will actually be a healthier alternative, as people will be less likely to resort to violence. For example, let's say people are angry about a new government policy. Instead of banning criticism, the government allows people to protest and post complaints online. People get to “vent” to release their frustration, and, in addition, the government can see what the public is upset about.

    This tactic not only allows people to get their frustration out without committing actual violence, but it also lets the government know which groups should be monitored, just in case potential violence arises. A great example of this is the March for Our Lives in 2018. After the Parkland, Florida, school shooting, students organized March for Our Lives protests across the country to fight for stronger gun-safety laws. The protests brought attention to the issue, encouraged gun-safety discussion, and pushed lawmakers to consider making changes to gun laws. Instead of anybody getting retaliation against the school shooters and spreading the harm to them, people were instead able to peacefully express their anger and frustration. By doing this, the government could hear those concerns and respond through the political system instead of people feeling like they had no way to make their voices heard.

    A negative example of the Stable Change expression was during the 1960s, when the FBI monitored the Black Panther Party and other groups. In some cases, agents used spies and surveillance footage to gather information about what groups were protesting and whether violence might occur. The FBI's COINTELPRO program eventually went beyond just watching for violence and included attempts to ban some groups from peacefully protesting, even when there was little evidence of illegal activity. The FBI itself acknowledges that they were violating First Amendment rights.

  

 Even though things such as protesting and writing a comment online are completely legal and a part of our rights as American citizens, sometimes there are better ways to release rage. Ways that are more calm, personal, and useful that we can implement into our daily lives. According to Mental Health America, 10 healthy ways to reduce rage include...

1. 
   Visiting a rage room (and breaking something safely)

2. Scream (in private)

3. Sing it out

4. Dance it out

5. Do a tough workout

6. Journal

7. Draw or paint

8. Change your surroundings

9. Destroy a physical representation of your anger (e.g., ripping up a piece of paper)

10. Verbalizing your anger in private

    For me personally, the ones that I resonate with are journaling, working out, painting, dancing, and changing my surroundings because they allow me to get out of my head, forget everything else around me, and dial me into the activity or task I am doing. In summary, after researching more about the Stable Change expression, I see how much being “negative” can impact our society in a positive way.

                                            _______________________________________

AI DISCLOSURE: The post was a collaboration using Microsoft Copilot. I took detailed notes while watching a 20-minute video about the history of the supreme court. In addition to the facts that I learned, I emphasized my own facts and opinions while watching. I then asked Copilot to help me improve the text while correcting grammar, spelling, punctation. I then asked Copilot to help me shape my text into a blog post format. After reviewing the text, I added links to related resources, as well as appropriate images and captions