Expression is an important facet of American culture.

The expression of ideas such as in Thomas Paine's

pamphlet "Common Sense" is one of the key expressions that sparked the nation's independence. The articles
paint a slightly different picture though. In Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the
Dark, he shows the censorship of Stalin's rival Leon Trotsky. This was only possible because of the complete
control over the media, and therefore, their memories in a nineteen eighty-four-esc manner.

As expression evolves from pamphlets, to radio, to television, and its most modern form, the internet, it becomes
apparent that groups who are able to express their opinions have power. Sagan states that, "It is estimated (By the
American Media expert Ben Bagditrian) that fewer than two dozen corporations control more than half of the
global business in daily newspapers, magazines, television, books, and movies" (Sagan). These massive companies
have the ability to express their opinions to such as vast audience that they now have the power. If a world is dark
without knowledge, these news channels hold false candles, and even if people realize this, they have little choice
but to follow anyway because if not them then who else?

On a smaller scale are cases such as a mural created by a high school student in Michigan. The mural looks
harmless, with many different forms of representation all drawn in an appealing artstyle, with the main message
being, "Stay Healthy". While this mural is wholesome, a mob of Christian parents seem to disagree on the basis
that the artist, "painted a mural [that] contains LGBTQ propaganda, a depiction of Satan and a message of
witchcraft." These parents eventually pressured the high schooler into removing the imagery, despite the artist's
argument claiming that they are misunderstanding the point. The artist had left the meeting in tears because of
the comments by these parents. It becomes hard to understand power dynamics through expression on such a
large scale, but in small cases such as this, it becomes easier to understand that those who can express and have
their way have the power. These parents had expressed their complaints. They got their way. They have power.
Though the girl's mural had helped many queer students feel welcomed, it becomes irrelevant in the face of the
power these parents had.

Power is a finite resource, but the difference between it and say oil is that this natural resource is not extracted
from the ground, but can only be gained through strong expression. However, when one group has power, they
are determined to keep it, as is natural. Even with criticism towards those parents from a "conservative,
right-wing, gun-loving American" being admonishing, the parents had the power and would not cease to give it
up.

This event demonstrates the power expression holds. The expression of the parents and their vitriol towards an
innocent mural for their perceived notion of Satanism and witchcraft caused a young artist hoping to make
people feel welcome to leave a meeting in tears. While it is an unfortunate situation brought worse by the fact
that some queer students had felt welcome because of it, it is not an isolated case by any means. There may be
many artists who struggle with the same reality. Expressing themselves only to be pushed back by expression
which is backed with power. Therefore, it can be said that expression has power. A power to bring hate as in the
parents and the power to unify as in the mural.