Most Americans take it for granted that they have a variety of freedoms that are guaranteed to them by the Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights. One of the most basic freedoms is the freedom of speech and expression. In the current time of social media, Americans can essentially post what they want without fear of being persecuted or punishment. However, that is not the case with a lot of foreign countries.

While western countries generally guarantee some kind of freedom of speech, many others either provide limited freedom or even none at all. One such country that I will be getting into more detail with is China.

According to the Chinese Constitution, "Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration.” Ironically, that is not the case at all. In fact, China is very strict in what is being printed and said in the media.

Since China is a communist nation, many leaders there believe that freedom of speech should be exercised if the whole of society benefits and not just the individual. This contributes to the fact that the Chinese government, unlike the U.S., strictly controls what is being published and said in the media.

The first way that the Chinese government regulates the media is that it has a Central Propaganda Department, and its job is to monitor all forms of media. According to a Freedom House Special Report called “Speak No Evil-Mass Media Control in Contemporary China, “The Chinese Communist Party exerts near complete control over the country’s 358 television stations and 2,119 newspapers—the primary media available to more than one billion Chinese citizens.”

Along with that, journalists and reporters are often required to attend so-called “ideological training sessions” where they have to demonstrate their loyalty to the Communist Party and demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the Party’s ideals and nation’s current laws. Many times, the heads of newspapers, magazines, or TV programs are often appointed by Communist politicians in power. This way, the government can stringently control the information that is circulating in the media and prevent any anti-government or anti-Communist ideas from spreading.

Considering that China’s Constitution guarantees the freedom of speech, it is interesting to see how completely opposite China’s policies are in reality. However, the immense use of the internet and social media has created a new challenge for the government since it is hard to regulate such a vast source of information.

In response to the internet, China has blocked some websites that are often tied to uprisings or opposition to the government. More recently, according to the International Herald Tribune, “The Great Firewall of China” has blocked access to popular sites, like Youtube Twitter, and Facebook, as well as blocking searches of “politically sensitive” words.

These stringent policies have caused many riots and protests. In fact, in an article in the Voice of America, there was a free speech protest in southern China this past January, where many people, including journalists, criticized the government’s censorship of the media. However, despite such demonstrations, the Chinese government is not going to consider changing its censorship policies right now, but as more and more protests hit the streets and the internet, they might have to rethink their thoughts on free speech.

Clearly, seeing China’s strict policies may make you reevaluate how important all the basic freedoms are in the U.S.A. Because of the freedom of speech, expression, and press, we can essentially speak our minds and voice our opinions.

While many people do not have the right to say what they want in their respective countries, you do in this country. This should also make you more responsible to how and what you voice your opinion on. Just saying anything and everything that’s on your mind isn’t useful to yourself or to American society. I encourage all you teenagers to be vocal on important issues, and use the freedom of speech to raise awareness on certain problems and try to incite change.

Visual: CBS. “Fight for Free Speech in China.” Online Video Clip. Youtube. Youtube, 8 Oct. 2010. Web. 7 Feb. 2013.

Esarey, Ashley. Freedom at Issue. Rep. Freedom House, Feb. 2006. Web. 7 Feb. 2013. .

"China Free Speech Protests Spread Online." Voice of America. Voice of America, 8 Jan. 2013. Web. 07 Feb. 2013. .

Chu, Ruven. "Communism and Computer Ethics." Communism: Censorship and Freedom of S Speech. N.p., 2009. Web. 07 Feb. 2013. .

McDonald, Mark. "Adding More Bricks to the Great Firewall of China." International Herald Tribune. New York Times, 23 Dec. 2012. Web. 07 Feb. 2013. .

Since 2012 Presidential Election, the topic of illegal immigration has been brought right up to the forefront. Due to the immense turnout of Latino and Hispanic voters, which helped contribute to President Obama’s victory, it has become clear that developing a plan for comprehensive illegal immigration reform needs to be on the priority list of both the President and Congress.

In fact, more and more Americans are becoming interested in this issue of whether existing illegal immigrants should be allowed to obtain legal permanent residence. According to the Associated Press-Gfk poll, “more than 6 in 10 Americans now favor allowing illegal immigrants to eventually become U.S. citizens.” That is an increase from recent years, and even Republicans have learned from the 2013 election that something needs to be done about illegal immigration especially if they seek to gain Latino votes.

However, the poll only surveyed about 1,004 adults, and it is quite possible that a much larger representative sample may have had a different statistics of Americans. Being the critical thinkers that you are, you can take a closer look on the poll at the following link:

http://ap-gfkpoll.com/uncategorized/our-latest-poll-findings-21

Again, like in the previous blog on this topic, this issue concerns teens because there are illegal immigrant teens who are your peers. Many of them arrived in this country when they were young, and so should they be allowed to stay here? Should they be allowed to obtain financial aid? Or should they all be deported because they “broke the law”?

To help show one perspective of the issue, I had the opportunity to interview an illegal immigrant college student who wished to remain anonymous. The following is a part of the interview:

1. When did you immigrate to the U.S.A.?

A: I came to this country with my parents, who wanted to provide me with a better life, when I was about five months old. So I basically grew up here.

2. Do you consider yourself an American?

A: I definitely do. I grew up, and I have come to appreciate all the American values. In high school when the pledge of allegiance was being recited, half the students of my class didn’t stand up and continued their conversations. But I made sure to stand up and say the pledge because this country means a lot to me. It has provided me with an opportunity to obtain an education, which is so important to me. Plus, I never felt like an “illegal alien.” I have always felt American.

3. When did it hit you that being an illegal immigrant has major consequences in this country?

A: That fact hit me when I was applying for colleges. I was Valedictorian of my class, and I was receiving letters from Stanford, MIT, Yale, Princeton, and countless other elite schools that encouraged me to apply there. However, my only dream was to go to Northwestern University, and I was accepted early decision. I still remember to this day how excited I was because this school meant a lot to me. It was a door to my future, and I wanted to do great things in my life. Unfortunately when it came time to qualify for financial aid, I realized I had to prove that I was a citizen. Of course, I couldn’t do that. When I read the notification saying that, my heart just sank because I knew right then and there that I could never attend the school of my dreams. I can’t afford to pay such a large tuition. Thankfully, I was able to enroll in a state school, but paying tuition is getting harder and harder with each passing semester since my family does not have much money.

4. Did you apply for President Obama’s Work Authorization Plan?

A: I would have because being able to work would help fund my education and help my family tremendously. However, the application fee is close to $500, and I just don’t have that kind of money. The recent recession forced my dad to close his small business, and so we are experiencing a tough financial period.

5. What would you say to the critics of the Dream Act and other plans for individuals like you to become legal permanent residence?

A: I would tell them one of my favorite quotes from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird where one character, Atticus Finch, says, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” It’s easy to say that I’m breaking the law, and I should be deported. But if they just see that America is all I’ve known. This is my home, and I want be able to become a doctor and help the people here. I didn’t ask to be an illegal immigrant, but I can try to show others that I’m not any different from any another teen who has goals, aspirations, and desires.

I would like to thank the student who volunteered to be interviewed. Of course the issue of solving America’s broken immigration is necessary, but in situations like of the student I interviewed, what do you think should be done with her? Should she be able to stay here, continue her education, and eventually obtain a path to citizenship? Or should she be required to go back to her native country? These are critical questions that need to be answered, but a solution will only come through a compromise in Washington D.C.

However, it is important to understand both sides of the argument. So the Youtube video attached depicts an interview between the two contrasting viewpoints on illegal immigration. Enjoy! And hopefully this might get you thinking about this issue.

TheZenoEffect. “Lou Dobbs Destroys Illegal Alien.” Online Video clip. Youtube. Youtube, 23 June. 2012. Web. 24 Jan. 2013.

Werner, Erica, and Dennis Junius. "AP-GfK Poll: Most Back Path to Citizenship for Illegal Immigrants as Republican Opposition Declines." Associated Press GfK Poll APGfK Poll Most Back Path to Citizenship for Illegal Immigrants as Republican Opposition Declines Comments. Associated Press, 22 Jan. 2013. Web. 24 Jan. 2013.