The Eight Values of Free Expression ... How do you rank them?

This week in my Media Law and Literacy class, the teacher provided the class with a list of eight values of free expression and analyzed them with the class. 

The eight values consisted of: discovery of truth, participation in self-government, stable change, individual self-fulfillment, check on governmental power, promote tolerance, promote innovation, and protect dissent. 

After, we were to to talk with a classmate as to which we thought was the most important out of the list.  Here are my thoughts.

I believe that to be able to choose one of these as the most valuable or important on the list is next to impossible.  To put one over the other makes no sense; each value goes hand-in-hand with another. My partner, Sarah, and I believe that both the values of individual self-fulfillment and check on governmental power are the most important that we can pick out of the list to identify with free expression in our country today. Individual self-fulfillment allows any person to find themselves and create their own identity; thus, free speech allows for a person to have a certain autonomy to create their own way of expressing themselves through his or her own speech.  While every person has this right to become one's true self, they also have a certain duty to their country to check on the government, and speak out on things that happen, whether good or bad.  It is a citizen's duty to check on and call out the government, as even given as a specific right in the sixth clause of the First Amendment.  It is important for every citizen to respect and recognize their responsibility to the checks and balances system of our country to check on the governmental power, and that is why I am very passionate that this is one of the most important value on this list.  

Overall, I believe that every American should value every aspect of this list. Although every citizen does not recognize the responsibility given to us in the First Amendment, I believe it is my duty as not only a citizen, but one working in the communication field in this country, to uphold these values and keep aware of my responsibility. 

"Politics ought to be the part-time profession of every citizen who would protect the rights and privileges of free people and who would preserve what is good and fruitful in our national heritage." - Dwight D. Eisenhower