They say that “knowledge is power,” and hence spreading the information one possesses serves the good of the community by sharing that power with others. Today, the US prides itself on its freedom of speech, with the First Amendment protecting the population from censorship. However, while there are no laws prohibiting self-expression, it is still possible to fall victim to social pressure when expressing thoughts and spreading information that is controversial or goes against authority. An example of such events being silenced is the Clinton connections with the convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein. Witnesses that have tried to speak up on the matter have mostly ended up dying of supposed suicide, hence unable to spread the information they possessed.
Furthermore, there are several stories of journalists traveling into other countries to record and share with the world the situation in those countries and getting murdered as a result. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, there have been 1044 confirmed murders of journalists in the past 30 years. Nevertheless, journalists worldwide see it as their duty to continue reporting on current global affairs, no matter the dangers.
The choice these people make to continue spreading information could be considered “foolish”; however, as mentioned above, it is crucial to share the knowledge for the sake of society. We are bound to repeat history if we do not know it, and staying aware of the problems that exist in the world today allows us to work for a better future for our children. We have a responsibility to these heroic people to use wisely the information they risked their lives for and act consciously. The heroic actions of these people pose an example of what it means to be living for the community.