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The effects and importance of freedom of speech
The effects and importance of freedom of speech
The effects and importance of freedom of speech
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In today’s society, Freedom of Speech has become one of the most exponentially debated topics in our nation. If you were to ask ten different individuals their views on it, you would almost for certain get ten different responses. Why has an area that was once set in stone become so questionable? The amendment on Freedom of Speech was passed in 1791; this was passed on the idea that no matter what your views, whether they are religious, political, or your ethnicity, we can share them without the fear of imprisonment, or retaliation. The first amendment allows us to freely express ourselves. Therefore, there should be no limit of Freedom of Speech for any one person, respectful dialogue should not be required, and the responsibility that each individual holds for their own speech is something they need to be held accountable for at all costs. Freedom of Speech is one of the principles the United States of America was built upon. This right is given to each and every one of us who steps foot on this land. There should be no limit of Freedom of Speech because everybody has their own opinions, thoughts, and beliefs that do not always jibe with the next person’s. This can relate to people being fired for expressing their thoughts on certain topics. This has recently been brought up when the LA Clippers owner, Donald Sterling, made a comment in private to his mistress instructing her to stop posting pictures of her with black men, and to stop bringing them to his games. This exclusive conversation was recorded, and then brought up nationally. He was fined $2.5 million for the “hateful opinions”, he is no longer allowed to attend any NBA game for life, and he is being forced to sell the team. Corespondingly, I agree that people ... ... middle of paper ... ...ed for their forgiveness. The airlines declared they have not accepted her apology or explanation. This shows how we are granted Freedom of Speech, however at the same time, we have to be held accountable for the things we say. There is a substantial distinction between the Freedom of Speech of your thoughts and opinions, in comparison to a threat. Since our congress decided to pass the Freedom of Speech amendment, I believe it was passed for all of the right reasons. The amendment should not be changed now because a few individuals feel differently about it. Having the right to say what you want, when you want, is a right that given to each and every American. Freedom of Speech with accountability is the only way America should ever go. As a fellow American, I couldn’t be more grateful to have the ability to express my feelings whenever I feel necessary.
The First Amendment of the United States gives citizens the five main rights to freedom. Freedom of speech is one of the rights. If people did not have the freedom of speech there would be no way of expressing one’s self and no way to show individuality between beliefs. This Amendment becomes one of the issues in the Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District Supreme Court case that happened in December of 1969. In the case of Tinker v. Des Moines there were five students that got suspended for wearing armbands to protest the Government’s policy in Vietnam. Wearing these armbands was letting the students express their beliefs peacefully. Many people would consider that the school did not have the authority to suspend these petitioners because of the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution.
It was then argued that it was not the league’s right to suspend the basketball player even if his opinion was offensive to others, but he still had the religious freedom to express his opinions as stated in the American constitution.... ... middle of paper ... ... This could be argued by the simple fact that the legal system (despite being a supposedly emotionless system), is in fact, based highly on emotion.
One key to the first amendment of the United states constitution is the right to free speech. Freedom of speech is what separates America than other countries around the world that forbid freedom of speech rights. Freedom of speech has been in our constitution since the year 1791. When James Madison “the father of the constitution” wrote the bill of rights he saw potential and that it would make the country more freedom filled than other countries. The land of the free is what the United States is nicknamed and it 's because of our rights to express ourselves as freely as we desire.
1. The measure of a great society is the ability of its citizens to tolerate the viewpoints of those with whom they disagree. As Voltaire once said, “I may disagree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” (Columbia). This right to express one's opinion can be characterized as “freedom of speech.” The concept of “freedom of speech” is a Constitutional right in the United States, guaranteed under the First Amendment to the Constitution:
The free speech clause in the Bill of Rights states: “Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech” (US Const., amend I). This clause, albeit consists of a mere ten words, holds much power and affluence in the American unique way of life. It guarantees Americans the right to speak freely without censorship by preventing the government from restricting the rights of the people to express their opinions. Consequently, this freedom can encourage citizens’ participation in politics; promote an adaptable and tolerant community; facilitate the discovery of truth; and ultimately create a stable nation. However, how much freedom should be granted to an individual? Where should the line be drawn for the coverage free speech protection? (1) What happens when the exercise of free speech puts other constitutional values in jeopardy? What values should prevail? (2) In an attempt to address these questions, many opposing interpretations have been presented. While some construe this clause in an absolute, categorical approach, others take on a more lenient, balancing stance. (1)
The United States of America is often known for having more freedom than anywhere else. As Gandhi said, “A ‘no’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better and greater than a ‘yes’ uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble.” Freedom of speech is a big part of the American culture and citizens are encouraged to speak their minds and opinions openly. It is such an important aspect of each American individual that it is
Since this country was founded, we have had a set of unalienable rights that our constitution guarantees us to as Americans. One of the most important rights that is mentioned in our constitution is the right to free speech. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the
When the individual gets attacked verbally because of their controversial statements, they claim that they had the right to speak their mind no matter how disturbing their words were. They use the First Amendment as a cover for their wrong-doings, and that is never okay. They need to be educated on what they can and cannot say. Just because the First Amendment guarantees a person the freedom of speech, does not mean that they are entitled to say whatever they please. The article “Freedom of Speech” explains if an individual were to use “fighting words” then they are automatically not covered under their First Amendment. The Supreme Court decided in the case Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire that “fighting words” were not constitutional, so they would not be protected under the First Amendment (2). Many people misunderstand that much of their opinions that they speak consists of words that are unclear. More than half of the time the words they use in their statements are considered to be fighting words, for they are rude and ignorant. There is no need for the obscene words that they use to be protected under the First Amendment. They must become aware of their lack of knowledge for what “fighting words” are; furthermore, they
Living in the United States we enjoy many wonderful freedoms and liberties. Even though most of these freedoms seem innate to our lives, most have been earned though sacrifice and hard work. Out of all of our rights, freedom of speech is perhaps our most cherished, and one of the most controversial. Hate speech is one of the prices we all endure to ensure our speech stays free. But with hate speeches becoming increasingly common, many wonder if it is too great of a price to pay, or one that we should have to pay at all.
It is clear that I am not the only one that believes so. A majority of NBA team owners voted in agreement for Adam Silver’s punishments and players across the league were satisfied as well. Banning him from the NBA may sound a bit too much, but in an era where racism in sports has not been an issue for decades, it is extremely disrespectful to bring a debacle like this back to the surface. Expressing ones opinion is allowed and there is nothing legally wrong with it, but what Sterling said is something that is not acceptable in today’s society, which is why the penalties were all, justified. Two of the four ethical frameworks, Utilitarianism and Ethical Realism both contribute to this understanding. The NBA made their decision for the greater good given the number of people involved. The choice was to either punish one man for his wrongdoing, or allow thousands of people across the country to question the integrity of the National Basketball Association. They also practiced choosing the lesser of two evils where the reprimand given was a bit exaggerated but necessary considering the alternative. Overall, the banning of Donald Sterling by the NBA, commissioner Adam Silver, team owners, and the players, was an ethically suitable price to pay for such callous
In the United States, free speech is protected by the First Amendment in which it states, “Congress shall make no laws respecting an establishment of religion … or abridging the freedom of speech.” Now, nearly 250 years into the future, the exact thing that the Founding Fathers were afraid of is starting to happen. Today, our freedom of speech is being threatened through different forces, such as the tyranny of the majority, the protection of the minority, and the stability of the society. Now, colleges and universities in the United States today are also trying to institute a code upon its students that would bar them from exercising their right to speak freely in the name of protecting minorities from getting bullied. This brings us into
Freedom of speech is the right of civilians to openly express their opinions without constant interference by the government. For the last few years, the limitations and regulations on freedom of speech have constantly increased. This right is limited by use of expression to provoke violence or illegal activities, libel and slander, obscene material, and proper setting. These limitations may appear to be justified, however who decides what is obscene and inappropriate or when it is the wrong time or place? To have so many limits and regulations on freedom of speech is somewhat unnecessary. It is understood that some things are not meant to be said in public due to terrorist attacks and other violent acts against our government, but everything should not be seen as a threat. Some people prefer to express themselves angrily or profanely, and as long as it causes no har...
Based on the First Amendment, the government may not exercise any activities that interference freedom of speech of an individual. For Americans, freedom of speech is clearly become the most basic freedom. Everyone has always thinks freedom of speech is a basic right that everyone automatically has when they were born; on the other hand, freedom of speech is experiencing serious growing pains.
Freedom of speech has been the core principle we have fought long and hard for centuries to achieve. It is the fundamental reason why the founders seperated from England and started their own colonies on the idea of becoming free. In recent times the idea of freedom of speech has been put into question as there has been incidents for years of racism, religious differences and discriminatory abuse. What comes into question is what exactly is your freedom of speech rights and what should be and should not be said in the public eye. The problems that we see arising in today’s society is discrimination and abuse against one another for opposing views and what exactly should your freedom of speech rights entail to as many hate crimes have occurred
Words are very powerful, and sometimes the words we use offend people. Freedom of speech is highly valued but what happens when your freedom becomes hurtful or disrespectful to someone else? There are so many different kinds of people and different things that offend each person. In this day where we are more inclined to say whatever we want, we see more and more offense being taken to the words that get said. It's hard to understand why certain words can be insulting to someone when it may not seem that way to you. We have to ask ourselves, why do we care what other people say and should we censer everything that goes into the public just so people don't get offended?