Expressive Discourse: Self-Expression of a Group

The Journalist’s Creed is intended for the future and aspiring journalists like me (Farrar 203). The purpose of this creed is to inculcate in the minds of journalists and those who aspire to join the profession that journalism is imbued with responsibility to defend and ensure clear thinking, clear statement, accuracy and fairness. Journalists, by virtue of their profession, are considered trustees for the public, because “the public journal is a public trust” (Cass 56). For those who would like to be journalists like me, they should only publish what they hold in their heart to be true, that the censorship of the news is indefensible, that immoral and illegal acts like bribery must be condemned and avoided, and that the profession of journalism is for the promotion of humanity and for the betterment of the whole world.

The Constitution of the Confederate States represents the every citizen of the United States. It states that the United States, which represents its people, is in the form of federal government, which has the goal to establish justice, insure domestic peace, and defend the liberty not only for the people but also for their posterity (Constitution).

The discourse mentions other states which are not part of the United States, in that they may be admitted only to the confederation by a vote of two-thirds by members of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The discourse also states that any state is prohibited to enter into alliance, treaty of confederation with other countries. This means that other states or countries that are not part of the confederation are excluded unless they are admitted to the confederation by the United States Congress.

Despite its wordings, the Constitution still remains friendly since it only seeks to protect the life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness of its citizens and their posterity (Paul and Dickman 50). There is also no struggle for personal or group value in the discourse since it treats all citizens or states as equal under the rule of law. The discourse is written in an explicit manner, using clear legal parlance, style, and vocabulary that can be easily understood by any person of average intelligence. There are no vague words or terms used that may confuse its readers.

The Constitution is written in the third person, which means that it is represented by the people of the United States of America. Since it is in the plural form, using the word “We”, it is appropriate for group discourse. The Constitution also clearly mentions the relation of the individual to the state under the principle of individualism, which means that the individual has to protect his life, liberty, property and his pursuit of happiness. The state, on the other hand, is also mandated to protect these ideals of the individual, and to defend the United States’ territory against foreign invasion.

Works Cited:

Cass, John. Strategies and Tools for Corporate Blogging. Maryland: Butterworth-

Heinemann, 2007.

“Constitution of the Confederate States.” 2009. Constitution.Org. 31 July 2009

<http://www.constitution.org/cons/csa.txt>

Paul, Ellen Frankel and Dickman, Howard. Liberty, property, and the foundations of

American Constitution. Alaby, New York: Suny Press, 1989.
Farrar, Ronald. A Creed for my profession. Missouri: University of Missouri Press, 1998.