The Rights Of Speech : The Importance Of Free Speech

It can be argued that freedom of speech should be allowed in society for two main reasons. Firstly, freedom of speech is regarded as a basic human right. It is stated in the Universal Declaration

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, freedom of speech, has proven to have made a tremendous impact on our history and the course we have taken. Our country has been transformed throughout history to appreciate the different cultures, religions, and traditions; from a simple act as speaking up to what we think is right we have seen our nation grow and prosper. As citizens, we are entitled to express our opinions and this right must be respected. However, we have taken advantage of this amendment. Nowadays, freedom of speech has become more destructive than supportive. Freedom of speech means giving everyone a chance to speak up; this does not give us the right to harm other individuals.

Free speech is the backbone that holds democracy together.  Without a free speech, ideas would not be challenged, governments would not be kept in check, and citizens would not be free.  John Stuart Mill said once that, “If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person then he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.”( Roleff, 21). The right to free speech is essential to “egalitarian democracy,”(Tsesis) however, this right is not absolute and must be limited in certain situations.

Centuries ago in American society, individuals were not granted the free will to act and speak freely. First Amendment rights allowed citizens to do so. On a historical outlook, the oppressed fought for the rights of various groups in the United States. Although laws and situations evolve, groups in America continue to face inequality and issues with freedom of speech. There is room for further improvement; freedom for all citizens needs to be fulfilled. The impression of being free is what gives the United States the ideology of being a part of a democracy. Recent events have revealed issues with freedom of speech and questioning about what kinds of speech is protected. In order to close the gap in

Free speech is a fundamental piece of American society; however, it has become a very controversial idea. In recent years several “free-speech” protests have risen, many breaking out in violence. With all the arguments about free speech erupting in America it is important to keep in mind that the first amendment is very broad, and has very few and very specific limitations; thus, very seldom does an individual person or group have the right to stop another from speaking.

I am writing this letter with concern to two of the amendments written on the US constitution.

Freedom of speech is necessary for freedom to think, criticize, debate, listen, and understand one another. It is a staple of tolerance and diversity – both 21st century aspirations of universities across America, including our own.

Frederick Lawrence is a credible source to address the topic of free speech because throughout his life and career, he has been an advocate for free expression and the civil rights movement. He is a visiting professor of law at the Yale Law School as well as a former president of Brandeis university; he has experience working on a college campus paired with a high understanding and knowledge of free expression. His article is from an educational standpoint that has solid reasoning to support how the challenge of free speech on campuses has never been greater.

In a truly free society, it is essential that citizens have the right to freedom of speech, to voice their opinion, to write it down, to scream it to the world, and to not be punished for it. In a truly free society, citizens hold the right to disagree with each other and their government, yet their government must uphold their right to do so. As Evelyn Beatrice Hall said when illustrating the ideas of Enlightenment philosopher, Voltaire, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

European thinkers such as John Locke began to discuss freedom of speech as a basic human right, a necessity for a free and thriving society and a well governed country. In the United States, freedom of speech is split into three categories: fully protected, limited protected, and unprotected speech. Freedom of speech does not exactly mean that one can or do whatever they want at all times, which is why there are these several categories that specify what is protected by the First Amendment, and what is not. A 1969 court decision Tinker vs. Des Moines is a great example of what qualifies as protected speech. On the other side, Chaplinsky vs. New Hampshire in 1942 showed that the Supreme Court has recognized several limited exceptions to First Amendment protection. Freedom of Speech is so very important because if people cannot express themselves, then they can never reach and realize their full potential. Therefore, in my opinion, it is simply immoral to rob people of their right to say what they want to say.

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

Freedom of speech usually refers to a citizen's right to the expression and distribution of their opinions. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights defines freedom of speech as a human right, stating that "Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference". It also states that all people have the right to express and share these opinions and exchange information through any medium of communication they choose. It is important that speech and expression of speech be distinctly defined, as the method of expression can be very subjective. For example, free speech in the United States has two limitations; disruption of the peace and incitation of violence. If the speech, or manner of expression of that speech is causing a stir in an otherwise peaceful area or group of people, the speaker can be legally "censored" by the police.

Long ago, the Freedom of Speech has been bestowed upon us as a natural human right. This natural human right is guaranteed to the citizens of the United States under the U.S. Constitution. In the Bill of Rights, Amendment I, it states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or 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.”[1] Freedom of speech, in the past, pertained mostly to written, spoken or televised media. However, in recent years, with the Internet explosion, freedom of speech has reached a new frontier. In the United States, citizens are

Being citizens of the united states of America, American people given certain rights and privileges. One of these importance privileges is provided to them by first amendment or their constitution, the freedom of speech every person in the world is born with distance voice of their won. The fundamental question is whether or not a person is actually granted freedom to use their voice in all of its entirety, and whether or not such a thing actually exists.