Freedom of speech has been an argued topic ever since it was introduced to the American people as a constitutional principle. Many use this birth given right to voice their opinions peacefully, violently, or to validate their participation in something morally unjust. Throughout the course of American history, there has been numerous examples of Americans exercising their freedom of speech with an end goal to either create positive or negative outcomes. Due to the controversy this topic creates, there 's several different aspects to how this principle is perceived and expressed. One side believes that freedom of speech is necessary, that people have the right to voice their opinion; another viewpoint believes that freedom of speech is …show more content…
The American Constitution, court cases, and speeches from prominent political figures provide concrete evidence to show how crucial freedom of speech is for the American people and why it is so heavily protected. Freedom of speech, “is essential for people to develop as individuals. It allows people to learn and explore what they want” (US History in Context). We, as a community, can all help each other create a more diverse and optimistic mindset where everyone can express themselves as individuals while still living in unity and tranquility. Being able to reside in an environment where individuals can think and act for themselves “allows each person to be unique and special.” in their own way giving Americans the opportunity to be independent (US History in Context). No one wants to be the same as everyone else, everyone in life has a different purpose and being able to speak your mind sets you apart. “Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government: When this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins. Republics and limited monarchies derive their strength and vigor from a popular examination into the action of the magistrates.” (Franklin) The notorious Texas vs Johnson Supreme Court case is an outstanding representation of freedom of speech, it quickly became a linchpin for a new and improved doctrine that further secured free speech in
Freedom of speech gives people The right to free speech, which is one of the most precious rights an individual has as a citizen of the United States of America. This right gives people the opportunity to speak their mind and give their opinions of what they think should happen. These rights have been questioned and exercised throughout history and have produced extremely positive things in a lot of cases. The questioning of these rights are
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 first amendment, the right of freedom of speech is one of the most important classic fantasy to almost anyone living in the United States, building the foundation of our nation. This right gives us plenty of different opportunities to express our opinions and political viewpoints on any issues in America. But it comes with a price, people have been protesting multiple different events trying to prevent people from expressing opposing opinions or political viewpoints on that has issues in America. For the minority of people, expressing a different opinion should be protected no matter how controversial or insensitive it may be.
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
America’s first president George Washington once argued at the [whenever he said this] that “If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” It is an essential component to the daily life of any constitutional republic, such as that of the United States even though it is a right granted to all American citizens, in the past, freedom of speech has been abridged to accommodate political correctness, to prevent disruptive behavior that could negatively affect others, and to protect confidential military information.
All you ever hear about in the news lately is people getting in trouble for speech. Many Americans embrace freedom of speech for the same reasons they embrace other aspects of individualism. Freedom of speech is the right to defiantly, robustly and irreverently speak one's mind just because it is one's mind. Freedom of speech is thus bonded in special and unique ways to the human capacity to think, imagine and create. Conscience and consciousness are the sacred precincts of mind and soul. Freedom of speech is intimately linked to freedom of thought, to that central capacity to reason and wonder, hope and believe, that largely defines our humanity (Smolla).
Freedom of speech has been a controversial issue throughout the world. Our ability to say whatever we want is very important to us as individuals and communities. Although freedom of speech and expression may sometimes be offensive to other people, it is still everyone’s right to express his/her opinion under the American constitution which states that “congress shall make no law
The United States Constitution grants American citizens the freedom of speech. This single line in the First Amendment has been a staple of American culture since its ratification on December 15, 1791 (Constitution Center, 2018). The Founders recognized the significance of this freedom and the power it had to shape a young nation. It was George Washington who declared-“If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter” (Global Research, 2016). The legal definition of this vision is “the right to express information, ideas, and opinions- free of government restrictions based on content and subject only to reasonable limitations” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2018). Consequently, this sole clause
The United States Constitution grants American citizens the freedom of speech. This single line in the First Amendment has been a staple of American culture since its ratification on December 15, 1791 (Constitution Center, 2018). The Founders recognized the significance of this freedom and the power it had to shape a young nation. It was George Washington who declared-“If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter” (Global Research, 2016). The legal definition of this vision is “the right to express information, ideas, and opinions- free of government restrictions based on content and subject only to reasonable limitations” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). This sole clause has been the subject
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, says that "Congress shall make no law....abridging (limiting) the freedom of speech, or of the press..." Freedom of speech is the liberty to speak openly without fear of government restraint. It is closely linked to freedom of the press because this freedom includes both the right to speak and the right to be heard. In the United States, both the freedom of speech and freedom of press are commonly called freedom of expression. (Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Press. (n.d.). Retrieved July 9, 2015). Freedom of speech is a right to all Americans and without it this place would become communist country. As Americans the need to fight for the freedom of this
On this world today free speech has been a standout amongst the most battled after rights in the United Conditions of America. The right to speak freely was received on December 15, 1791. The right to speak freely is secured by the main correction in the Constitution of United States, which is the privilege to explain one’s suppositions and thoughts without dread of government countering or control, or societal endorse. Free discourse is imperative in the public arena since we are allowed to create as individuals and end up noticeably mindful of what is happening around us. The right to speak freely played an extremely vital part in how and our identity today and is the principle motivation behind why we
Many American citizens today widely embrace freedom of speech as an “absolute right” to publish or speak their own thoughts. They treat it as a way of life. Freedom of expression, which encompasses the five freedoms granted by the First Amendment, allow “an individual or group of individuals to express their beliefs, thoughts, ideas, and emotions about different issues free from government censorship.” While freedom of speech has a largely broad definition, there are a few exceptions that do not constitute as free speech: fighting words, defamation, and blackmail (First Amendment Center). In previous centuries, however, the
The founders of the United States government tried to protect our liberty by assuring a free press, to gather and publish information without being under control or power of another, in the First Amendment to the Constitution. We are not very protected by this guarantee, so we concern ourselves on account of special interest groups that are fighting to change the freedom of expression, the right to freely represent individual thoughts, feeling and views, in order to protect their families as well as others. These groups, religious or otherwise, believe that publishing unorthodox material is an abuse of free expression under the First Amendment. As we know, the Supreme Court plays an important role in the subject of free speech and
The Founding Fathers wrote free speech into the First Amendment because they wanted people to be able to speak of serious matters and of the news, which is critical in a democracy. George Washington said, “If men are to be precluded from offering their sentiments on a matter, which may involve the most serious and alarming consequences that can invite the consideration of mankind, reason is of no use to us; the freedom of speech may be taken away, and dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep, to the slaughter.” (Newburgh Address 1783). Free speech wasn’t meant for any opinion or thought that people have,
“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” This quote, written by Evelyn Beatrice Hall, is what I believe to be the basic premises of freedom of speech. I believe in tolerance and in kindness, so the way I perceive freedom of speech and political protest are extremely different than many other citizens’ viewpoints. That is what America is; she is a country that is diverse with many different opinions. Many Americans across the nation just do not understand what exactly their freedom is? Nor do they understand how it works and how to express that freedom. In The Washington Post it said, “Survey after survey has shown that too many students at all levels — including in college — don’t understand free speech and don’t know that it is guaranteed by the First Amendment.” This statement has helped me realize that due to the lack of understand the first amendment, people just say whatever comes to their mind without checking that information. In this age, it is wise to make sure that the knowledge that is known is true. False information gets leaked all the time and those who do not want to know the truth tend to side with fake news.