The Importance Of Free Speech

I believe free speech in America is slowing depleting even though the first amendment of

Public places are often centers where much intermixing and exchange occurs, hubs of human behavior, where everyone is expected to be treated equally. College campuses are meant to be places where students of all backgrounds and nationalities come to gain an education; it is important to agree on the ability to foster conversation and exchange of ideas and thoughts, but just like many things there should be rules and regulations. Often times, there is the idea that on college campuses students are able to have fair and civil arguments. Though this is ideally what the goal is, it often falls short. Many believe that the right answer to this is having more speech, as the ACLU says “Where racist, sexist, and homophobic speech is concerned, the ACLU believes that more speech -not less- is the best revenge”(Glasser 1), though this is ideally what should happen, it is difficult to have rational dialogue with individuals that do not recognise others different from them as equals. Hate Speech Codes come in to curb the possibility of what starts off as simple disagreement from developing into

Free speech is a fundamental right to not only being American but being a human. Exchanging and defending principles, beliefs, and ideas have been existent since the beginning of mankind. We would not have made it this far if people did not have the freedom to speak what they wanted or needed to say. Philosophers and scientists, poets and writers, people such as Rousseau, Milton, Locke, Newton, Descartes, and numerous more might never have accomplished what they had or been recognized if not for the freedom of speech. Some of the most important examples of free speech that set in motion the foundation of America were the petitions from the colonists and finally the Declaration of Independence.

The First Amendment of the U.S. constitution states “Congress shall make no law [...] abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” However, the right to freedom of speech has limits, including violence, inciting a riot, libel or slander and yelling fire in a theatre. At a private company, such as the NFL, there are even more limits to this freedom, depending on the organization’s terms and conditions and any contracts that must be signed by members.

In places of education, students have free will to voice faith, outlooks, and theoretical; without the fear of their voice being silenced. Institutions of education should be places where students and staff can discuss their different opinions and viewpoints, and grow, understand, and learn from each other. Our spoken minds can connect us and bring understanding and tolerance to others; if we have the ability to share those differences in whichever place we see fit. That is why free speech in places of education is so important. The people of so many US campuses are diverse in every aspect. Whether it be race, religion political party, upbringing, so many have different conceptions to bring to the

As American citizens individuals are granted the right of speech through the first amendment. Living in a America allows people to express their thoughts beliefs, and opinions as a part of living in freedom. In America you are told you are equal to the next citizen whether it was your neighbor, colleague, or classmate. With belief in the government you are assured you are encountered to indispensable rights sheltered by law to assure your first amendment right cannot be seize. The government gives this mind setting of America being the land of the free to express your individuality and freedom of speech is given equally to everyone. But imagine this ; suddenly after a long day of work you turn on the world news and see people protesting or being criticized by the government because they are practicing their right to speak and it suddenly hits you that expressing your right can cause confusion in the nation .The first amendment of the freedom of speech differs in views of gender, religious, and race conversations which challenge every American opinion creating confusion.

Freedom of speech is a basic fundamental human right. Whether or not on a college campus, people (especially college students) should have the right to speak freely. Everyone does have the right to speak freely, because it is one of the twenty-seven amendments. Colleges all around the United States are now home to many restrictions on free speech. For example, the idea and use of “free speech zones” has made its way to colleges everywhere. A “free speech zone” is a sidewalk sized place where students are allowed to speak their minds freely on college campuses. I know what you’re thinking. This sounds ridiculous. Why are there specific places for people to speak their minds? Aren’t colleges suppose to be a place where students speak their

Freedom of speech is defined as “the political right to communicate one's opinions and ideas. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used.”. It is a constitutional right under the first amendment. However, does freedom of speech really mean freedom of speech, or is it limited? Freedom of speech is the ability to speak without censorship or limitation. Also called freedom of expression, it refers not only to verbal speech but any act of communicating information or ideas, including publications, broadcasting, art, advertising, film, and the Internet.

The United States’ constitution contains amendments that provides the citizens of the United States their rights. Some of these rights include freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and most importantly, freedom of speech. This is the most important because it allows the people to have a voice and express their opinions. People are able to articulate their ideas and opinions without fear of censorship and hostility from the government. Without this right, our people are not able to stand up and defend for themselves. Without this right, we are not able to publicize our opinions controversial topics. And most importantly, without this right, essential to a successful democracy.

Campuses across the country have seen the rise of student protests against speakers over the recent years and several examples have turned violent. This is just one of the many issues involving free speech on campuses. As colleges and universities try their best to avoid controversy and disruption, free speech is put under pressure by policies that both limit and harm it. Regardless of whether they are legally allowed to do so, aren’t colleges and universities obligated to protect free speech? Without free speech protecting the communication and exchanging of ideas between students, higher education is just like primary/secondary education but with higher level courses. Many colleges and universities are guilty of obstructing free speech through policies aimed to take control of it: three common ways campus administrations dictate the limits of free speech are by implementing free speech zones that confine free expression to physical boundaries, involving security and police to supervise protests, and even disinviting speaker’s that were already invited. They may take these actions to prevent disruptions to the learning environment, but the result of their rules and regulations inhibit their students’ intellects, even though they pay tuition to learn at their schools.

The speech I selected is called “Why Freedom of Speech is Necessary”, and it was given by University of Toronto professor Jordan B. Peterson. Professor Peterson gave this speech on May 13th, 2017, at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. Professor Peterson was called upon to give this speech to explain the incredible value of freedom of speech, and why it is critical to any society, and especially to the individuals within said society. The professor’s speech took place during the Annual General Meeting of the Society for Academic Freedom and Scholarship, with his event titled “Why Freedom of Speech is Not Just Another Value”. The SAFS was formed in 1992, in Canada, with the goals of “maintaining freedom in teaching, research, and scholarship”, and “maintaining standards of excellence in academic decisions about students and faculty” (safs.ca.about.html). The SAFS holds meetings yearly, to discuss popular topics in a purely informative manner, while not associating with any political ideology/ party. Jordan Peterson’s event was the Keynote Address of the one-day conference, and he was the third and final speaker of the day. Before his speech was a buffet lunch, and following his speech was an Annual Business Meeting for SAFS members only. Peterson’s speech was important as it was the longest out of the three, by a half hour. The audience of Professor Peterson’s speech consisted mainly of middle to older-aged people, ranging in diversity, but middle-aged to

The United States congress in 1791 would never believe what freedom of speech has become today. Today the definition of freedom of speech has evolved into something I believe the 1791 congress would be disappointed in. In 1791 freedom of speech was something to be prideful about. The idea behind free speech was everyone who lived in the U.S.A could speak there mind and have a voice for our nation. Sadly, today everyone has an opinion and if you voice it you will definitely get negative results.

I believe in being able to speak freely and the First Amendment right of free speech. Too often, people experience criticism for having the “wrong” opinion. I find it hard to even have a decent debate anymore without becoming infuriated because of the insults being made about me due to my opinions. If we are to ever achieve progress in not only the US, but the world, we need to have the ability to talk with each other in a positive manner.

Censorship harms society. “The Coddling of the American Mind” written by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt emphasizes that over sensitivity, microaggressions and trigger warnings suppress freedom of speech. The article “The Indispensable Opposition”, written by Walter Lippmann supports that when people do not take opposing views into account it deviates from the real truth and suppresses freedom of speech. “The Talk” by Dana Canedy conveys the sad truth of the sensitivity of the microaggressions and trigger warnings involving the black culture. This has lead to the pertinent discussion she has with her black son to explain how he must behave in society in order to survive. Most readers will agree that freedom of speech should be absolute, but they might not understand the complexity of the subject, as revealed by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, Walter Lippmann, and Dana Canedy. In fact, the topic is not simply a matter of embracing others views, but a much more complex issue involving acceptance of other cultures.

In the USA people are allowed the right to express their opinion openly without the risk of backlash from others who are offended by it. Freedom of speech is a very important privilege that our founding father felt should be instilled in the government to promote democracy. Being able to express one’s own opinions and concerns openly without the risk of being executed or put in prison by the king, was an important part of their political view. This was a major concern that was very important for the founding fathers, and for that reason it was the first concern that was addressed when they were creating the laws of this new government. This in theory, would assist and allow the people of the USA to have a voice in running its’ own government. The first amendment allows freedom of speech to its people and welcomes open discussion on handling government issues. Though freedom of speech is important to allow self-expression, sometimes freedom of speech in relation to personal issues can cause conflict and opposing views between individuals. Some may use or even abuse the privilege of the first amendment to make offensive comments that affect others in a negative way. In this essay I will be presenting an example of a court case of Morse v. Frederick that test the boundaries of free speech, and how examples from this case effect both sides of the argument, and in addition