As of recent events, the attacks given by President Drumpf on the media is the greatest threat to my generation. Growing up in the digital age, communication is vital to survival. We stay informed, and educated through the news we are given. If a government starts to control the media, the message you recieve is skewed and censored. With freedom of the press we are able to live in a world, of free viewpoints that not only report on the same stories, but represent different voices in the matter. We hear the voices of those that are oppressed, and the voices of the nation. If we have government controlled media or censorship, we lose the fundamental right of freedom of speech.

Both freedom of speech and freedom of the press go hand in hand. That is why the Framers of the Constitution put them first in Bill of Rights. Speech and words are your most influential and important right. They are the most powerful tool that a person can have. Words make movements.

In recent events making the press an enemy is a dangerous move. Once the distrust of the media comes to fruition, the most important watchdog of government is questioned and threatened. This is a risk for democracy. If people cannot govern themselves, and control how the government runs then it is no longer a democracy. Speech and communication are fundamental to this process. We need to be able to get our message across; express our grievances, and work with our Congress members to make a change.

According to James Madison, when creating the constitution he believed a strong federal government that would protect its citizens, but not infringe on the press, or the freedoms of the people. There are other measures where the government should be involved, since it has grown over time, but making the people fear the press and rely on government for news is an increasingly dangerous prospect.

We have seen in the past years of this presidency, that even the White House, has come up with excuses and falsifications to cover the words of the incorrect statements of the President. Terms such as “fake news” have been used as slander against credible sources. Fake news is not only dangerous for our credible sources, but it increasingly makes the ability to decipher what is true from what is not more difficult.

Other countries have censored media where punishment is received for speaking your opinions. America is not apart of this model, and should never be. Restriction of speech is taking away a right given to you from birth, and is apart of the American creed. Being free to express our thoughts and opinions is a core belief in American society. Without this, the government by the people, for the people would cease to exist.