Essay On The First Amendment

First Amendment is a very precious right that we have. It refers to the right of speech, in which allows us to freely speak our minds without the fear of being punished. However, what does it truly mean? The meaning is not only powerful but also somewhat very vague, in my opinion. Because of its brief words, it leaves out some important issues. Although society cherishes the freedom of speech, it does give this freedom certain limitations.
First, let’s imagine United States without the First Amendment. It will definitely change for the worse. People are not able to express all of their thoughts and feelings in public, for fear of getting in trouble. That means that they cannot have opinions or debate about how the country is ran, or criticize …show more content…
Everyone makes mistakes, and so does the Government. However, the question here is if the freedom of speech is absolutely free. Does it guarantee for a person to say anything he wants? The answer is no. Over American history, the meaning of freedom of speech has changed in more restricted ways. The Government no longer protects speech that is considered dangerous, rebellious, libelous, slanderous, or obscene. People may still receive consequences for the things they say. For example, freedom of speech does not protect a person who falsely yells “Fire” in a public venue because it may create danger. Or if you are at an airport and crack a joke about bombs or terrorists, you may be questioned, or even arrested by the security. Or if you’re at a movie theater and talk on your phone, you will most likely be asked to leave. You’re also not allowed to slander another person to hurt his or her reputation, say insulting words in some situations, harass someone to provoke them, etc. There are also many other restrictions that apply. However, how does the court draw those lines? This issue is very controversial because who is it to decide