Freedom Of Speech : Limits On Our Rights Limit Freedom

In 2017 controversy struck when the NFL tried “taking a stance” and protesting the National Anthem. In this protest, many NFL players one by one knelt down while the National Anthem played at their sporting event. The National Anthem is a song for our country and symbol to represent all of the men and women who have fought in our military. This song is not played just for our entertainment, it is to honor the flag and what it stands for. The protesting was started by Colin Kaepernick, last season, when he was the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. He was the first player to take a knee during the playing of the National Anthem, now many other NFL players this season are following in his path and doing the same thing. Many players and viewers claim it is for police brutality and the injustice that is being served, while other viewers see it as entitled millionaires disrespecting the flag and the military. Everyone has different opinions on the issue, but no matter what the country needs to respect one another as humans and be united; the American Flag is a symbol of our freedom and the NFL needs to recognize the National Anthem rather than kneeling and disrespecting what it stands for.

The current debate over kneeling or sitting in protest during the national anthem to protest police brutality was ignited by Kaepernick in 2016, and later adopted by many other professional football players, high school athletes, and professional athletes in other sports, all who have refused to stand for the national anthem. These protests have created disagreement and sparked a public conversation race, police brutality, the flag and if the NFL is the best forum for to protest such issue. Colin Kaepernick has since said “he’s not protesting the flag but police brutality against African Americans. www.Procon.org

Kneeling during the national anthem is not just wrong it is also disrespectful to the multitudes in our country who have served or or presently serving this great nation-- the United States of America. The national anthem represents many things. One of them is the fortitude of our country’s flag. In the anthem it declares that the United States of America is “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” The flag represents the very core and essence of our nation as the only land on the continent that offers its citizens the freedoms it has at the price paid for ultimately by the brave. It is in no way oppressive nor racist. It is the theme song for every American. The intended audience of this paper is an appeal to all Americans. The quarterback of the 49ers football team, Colin Kaepernick, first began a protest to draw attention to a series of incidents against African Americans by remaining seated during the national anthem, “the Star Spangled Banner.” After the great stir Kaepernick caused in the media during September 2016, Kaepernick switched up his protest by taking a knee as a nod or gesture of showing more respect to current and former military after receiving an in-depth letter from Nate Boyer a former NFL player and US military veteran. Boyer served our country as a Green Beret. Over a decade ago, Boyer witnessed genocide while working in Sudan. He met numerous African men who were smitten with America and longed to have the

After all the talk, some have determined Colin Kaepernick has rights, but that does not make him right for not standing during the national anthem. For some who may not know, Colin Kaepernick is a famous football player for the San Francisco 49ers. He recently refused to stand for the national anthem before his game in protest of what he deems are wrongdoings against African American in the United States.

A big problem protesters like Colin Kaepernick and others are facing is that since they don’t participate in the National Anthem people think that they don’t like our country and are unpatriotic. For example Donald Trump and his aides took the situation into their own hands when calling out the protesters by saying, “protests are unpatriotic and disrespectful to the flag and those who have fought to protect the United States”(Tatum). After these comments players fire back by saying they’re exercising free speech by not participating in the National Anthem while standing with their hands over their hearts. Protesting is a

July 4, 1776 was the day America became its own country. 231,000 Americans fought for America’s independence in the American Revolution. The National Anthem was written in 1814, after the soldiers kept the flag standing during the bombs being dropped in the War of 1812. Every war or battle in American history has been for America’s freedom. Many people think that wearing hats during the National Anthem is rude and disrespectful to the soldiers who have fought or died for America’s freedom, but what about kneeling? Kneeling during the National Anthem is rude and disrespectful to the soldiers that have fought for America. The NFL players began kneeling last year during the National Anthem as a protest to police brutality against different races. President Trump spoke out against the kneeling and was accused of suppressing the NFL players natural right. President Trump is not suppressing the NFL players rights because no one has been fired and he has just as much a freedom of speech as any other man in the United States.

Topic: Do you believe that free speech as proscribed under the first amendment of the constitution should be limited?

In the news the NFL, Donald Trump, and the veterans are at crossroads with the American anthem and what it stands for. The NFL players decide to take a knee during the National Anthem which caused a big uproar across the United States. Our president has spoken out about the issue and made a harsh opinion on what the coaches should do with the players. Others such as, the police or men and women who were overseas protecting the United States find it disrespectful that NFL players taking a knee. Within the amendments, the first amendment is being used by the NFL players. The NFL players are using their rights to speak out against the National Anthem,

In 1932, United States Congress passed a bill to allow “The Star-Spangled Banner,” to become the official national anthem for the United States of America (Ng, 2016). San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, refuse to stand, however, he taken a knee for the national anthem while performing in a National Football League game. The quarterback action during a football game caused a stir controversy as to why he took a knee. Colin Kapernick stated that he took a knee due to the police brutality against African Americans within the community (Ng, 2016). Some people around the world believed that his action is justified, while other feels that it is disrespectful and inappropriate. Although it seems that he is doing a justified statement,

Last August in 2016, little did we know something happened that was the start of a huge controversy leading to problems right now. Before the start of a NFL 49ers football game, someone was singing the famous national anthem and a player by the name of Colin Kaepernick chose to sit down instead of stand. Continuing to sit down or kneel has led to many arguments and discussions over the past year. President Trump looked into it and has chipped in his opinion. Trump has said many ‘insulting’ words making most other football players want to stand behind Kaepernick. Many see the idea of kneeling during the national anthem as a sign of disrespect to our nation’s flag, troops, people, and ideas, while many others see the protest as freedom of speech.

Like most democratic nations in the world, the United States has had its own fair share of issues with hate speech. There has been a lot of controversy over whether hate speech should be regulated. In analyzing the concept of free speech, one cannot ignore that it does not occur in a vacuum. There have been all types of debasements ranging from ethnic, religious, racial and gendered stereotyping. Freedom of speech inherently includes all other fundamental human rights. Hence, as acknowledged through natural rights, other rights and personhood should adamantly be included within this scope of this protection. Hate speech is a limit on free speech, as it not only puts the victim under deliberate psychological and physical harm, but also

Thirdly, there should be guidelines or correct or incorrect free speech regulated by Harm Principle. Free speech is a right that everyone should have, however, limitations must be present on free speech. There should be fair discussion regardless majority or minority. Mill expressed, “the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others” (8). It showed not to harm other people of the community and free speech should not discriminate people. As well as, there free speech is violated to harm another then actions should be taken place to protect or punish because free speech is a fundamental freedom. Mill explained that, “if, for example, a man, through intemperance or extravagance, becomes unable to pay his debts, or, having undertaken the moral responsibility of a family, becomes from the same cause incapable of supporting or educating them …punished… not for the extravagance” (68). This is significant because over spending is a personal opinion but if other suffer then harm is present. Harm because he is unable to pay back debt and family suffer by doing so. He should be punished for disadvantages he caused to others not because of his choice of spending. Another, Harm Principle showed that position in society can alter self-regarding behaviour. Mill noted that, “no person ought to be punished simply for being drunk; but a soldier or a policeman should be punished for being

Freedom of speech is an important inalienable right that many people and institutions try to limit in modern society. In which I think nowadays freedom of speech is being limited because of lack of people willing to listen to others, who have different political views. Where I find it disappointed that we, as Americans, are unwilling to hear each other's opinions whether you be Liberal, Independent or a conservative. Therefore, stopping the conversation before it even happens. In addition, with universities implementing new speech codes on their campuses is limiting their students freedom of speech. Therefore, I do not agree with colleges limiting freedom of speech, with them prohibiting certain kinds of speech on campus. Whoever this “hateful”

According to Susan Jacoby, noted feminist and New York Times columnist, “I am a First Amendment junkie. You can’t OD on the First Amendment, because free speech is its own best antidote” (A First Amendment Junkie,19). Free speech is best refuted by itself because if someone doesn’t like a certain opinion, then they can reciprocate their opinion. In order for free speech to be refuted, someone needs to exercise their right of free speech and refute it. Jacoby is writing in the mid-to-late 70s, when the freedom of speech was in debate. Even more so now, people are arguing and misinterpreting free speech in the First Amendment. The First Amendment specifically states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment . . . or abridging

The United States of America has come to be synonymous with the land of the free. This is almost entirely due to the rights granted by the first amendment to the Constitution. Most people would refine that statement further by stating that what truly makes the Unites States free, is the freedom of expression. The ability to speak and do what one pleases is a luxury that the citizens of very few countries enjoy. Americans tend to take this as mark of pride, yet another reason that America is the best; however, the ability to say anything can be extraordinarily harmful. Unfortunately, in the past few years hate speech and “incidents of racist and xenophobic harassment” have expanded (Okeowo). The problem with the unyielding support of free speech in the US is that it allows the law to fail to adequately protect those who are the target of hate speech. Not only does it harm through hate speech, but in a time full of alternative facts, not knowing if something is the truth or not can be detrimental. Because of this, there must be limitations on free speech because the right cause people harm through hate speech cannot outweigh the right to liberty that others have.