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Persuasive Essay On Freedom Of Speech

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The First Amendment of the United States Constitution was adopted into the Bill of Rights in 1791. This amendment protects the right to freedom of religion, and freedom of expression from government interference. It prohibits any laws that establish a national religion, impede the free exercise of religion, infringe upon the freedom of the press, interfere with the right to peaceably assemble, prohibit citizens from petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances, and arguably, most importantly, prohibits government suppression of the freedom of speech.
The right to freedom of speech allows individuals to express themselves without government interference or regulation. The Supreme Court requires the government to provide substantial justification for any interference with the right of free speech at any time it attempts to regulate the content of the speech. Generally, a person cannot be held liable, either criminally or civilly for anything written or spoken about a person or topic, so long as it is truthful or based on an honest opinion. The Supreme Court has also recognized that the government may prohibit speech that may cause a breach of the peace or cause violence. This includes things such as yelling “fire” in a crowded movie theater. The right to free speech also includes many other mediums of expression that communicate a message as well, therefore, the level of the protection the speech receives also depends on the form in which it is taking place.
However, just like many other “guaranteed” rights of American citizens, the right of the freedom of speech was not always so easily obtainable. On college campuses, this right is limited and may differ greatly based on policies set by the college as well as state lawmakers. In fact, private school students may not be protected by the First Amendment, and are subject to any and all clearly articulated speech restrictions imposed upon them by their college.
The Free Speech Movement (FSM) was a massive, long-lasting student protest which took place during the 1964-1965 academic school year on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley. With the participation of thousands of students, the Free Speech Movement was the first mass civil

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