The Importance Of Freedom Of Speech In The United States

Improved Essays
Having Free Speech is the basic right that Americans have, it is the ability to speaks one’s mind and ideas. Theres are many benefits to having the ability to project ideas without censorship. Caleb Yong author of “Does Freedom of Speech Include Hate Speech?” argues that the liberal justice has a special protection against the restriction of speech and expression, he calls it “Free Speech Principle” where it includes its “sensitivity to the distinction between coverage and protection (Yong)” that the speech should be monitored. Hate speech is too broad to single out the negative effect that it can have in any group. The main concept of this article includes the four categories that hate speech can be set in. The first one is targeted abusive speech, second large number of abusive speech, third organized political exclusivity, and fourth slander against any specific groups. Certain speeches do not fall under the Free Speech Principle which are called “uncovered speech,” when that occurs there has to be a counter part to the speech. It has to have benefit and cost, usually the benefits out weighs the harm in the speech. Freedom of Speech is supported by justification because each speech is given factor in some benefit that over rules …show more content…
I agree with Caleb Yong article on how free speech is important because he explained how lead each person to form the own ideas and opinion and individualize themselves, and although it can lead to hate speeches there is also speeches that benefit for the better. It’s important for people to speak your opinion and ideas without having to have restriction on how important the matter is to you. Every speech has its negative and positive points but it usually the benefits out weigh the negative factor of the speech. I do think that is very important to keep in mind that every action has its

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    • 1984- Outside of the Republic National Convention, Gregory Lee Johnson burned an American flag • Johnson was showing his disagreement of president Ronald Reagan’s policies • He was arrested and charged for the desecration of a venerated object • Tried in court • Argued that under the first amendment he is protected for “symbolic speech” • Case was taken to the supreme court where they sided with Johnson • Justice Stevens argued that the symbolic nature of the American flag should outweigh the first amendment’s freedom of speech…

    • 89 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    What is Freedom of Speech? The Merriam-Webster dictionary define freedom of speech as “the right to express facts and opinions subject only to reasonable limitations (as the power of the government to protect itself from a clear and present danger) guaranteed by the 1st and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution and similar provisions of some state constitutions”. Freedom of speech is ones right to say what you please without fear of being punished, is among one of the most treasured freedoms throughout America. The founders of the United States government tried to protect our liberty by assuring a free press, to gather and publish information without being under control or power of another, in the First Amendment to the Constitution. As we know, the Supreme Court plays an important role in the subject of free speech and expression, and we need to understand that…

    • 641 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In a civilize society people have the right to freedom of speech and expression. Freedom of speech allow people to communicate their thoughts in an educated manner. This freedom creates an instructive environment, where people can express their opinion and exchange ideas. However, the liberty to articulate ideas can produce social tension. In “Martin’s Letter From Birmingham Jail,”Martin Luther King says, “One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws,”(King 4).…

    • 204 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    We all are entitled to freedom of speech but what is it when freedom of speech turns into a hate crime. Begging the question could be used as the logical fallacy with this article. Freedom of Speech is our constitutional right. Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community to articulate one's opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or sanction. People will continue to express themselves no matter how anyone else feels about the comments.…

    • 701 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Overtime the Supreme Court has carved out different categories of speech. The Courts have established some speech to be totally protected by the First Amendment, some speech to not be protected by the First Amendment, and some speech to be subjected to different tests and standards to determine whether or not they are protected by the First Amendment. There is sort of this set hierarchy of different classes of speech from that of which is most protected to that of which is least protected. Speech that is subject to the prohibition without violating the First Amendment is speech that is deemed to be absolutely lacking in any type of value. Basically, the Courts have determined that some speech is just valueless and contributes nothing to our…

    • 1090 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The freedom to speech is very important to many Americans. However, many wonder if some speech should be prohibited especially while online. This is because it is harming, slandering, or hateful. The best way to evaluate this issue is through Deontology. This is because every American has a right to free speech, according to the constitution, they also have duties and consequences that come with being able to say whatever they want.…

    • 764 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Prior Restraint

    • 1055 Words
    • 5 Pages

    It is the freedom to speak one’s mind without fear of retaliation, now or at any time in the future. We don’t have perfect freedom of speech in any country, yet. It is still a goal we need to strive for. It’s just not authorities that may crack down on uncomfortable or irreverent opinions; the public may be just as harsh a judge when somebody challenges a stigmatized falsely held, but still stigmatized truth. In such circumstances, it is the role of the government to suppress those people and activities that would make people feel threatened by stating opinions that are out of line with commonly held beliefs.…

    • 1055 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Freedom of speech is a privilege all Americans share. A person can state whatever they please, so long as it doesn’t cause a clear and present danger, without government interference. The idea that someone can legally think, be, and say whatever they want is what lead millions of immigrants to form the U.S. back in 1776 and is the same reason people fight for their right to live here today. Thanks to information being so accessible in this digital age, individuals are told that they are allowed and to study and form an educated opinion. This comes with one catch.…

    • 975 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The definition of hate speech is that it is a type of speech that insults groups of people based on their race. In the constitution, hate speech is any speech, action or attitude, writing, or advertising which is banned because it may encourage violence or discriminatory action against or by a shielded individual or group, or because it belittles or threatens a preserved individual or group. Hate speech comes in all types and forms of intolerance. Free speech covers the right to convey ourselves. Free speech means that the people will have any type of assessment police administrating our private communications.…

    • 1555 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Have you ever been out in public and heard someone say something rude and ignorant? They have the right to say that because of freedom of speech. When we think of freedom of speech we think of it as we can say what we want without consequences. There are a lot of bad things that you can say with freedom of speech it is truely a gift, that should never be taken away. Freedom of speech is one of the first rights in the USA and it is the first amendment.…

    • 360 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The right to having free speech is one of the basic human rights that pretty much everybody knows firsthand. Some people abuse this right, and some use it just right! Freedom of expression is super important because it enables the public to participate in the decision making spectrum of society with free range of information and ideas. Without this, people would be unable to make informed decisions, and things would be complete and utter chaos. The framers of the United States Constitution probably thought that through, which is why we even have the first amendment freedom of speech.…

    • 477 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In America, the First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech without exceptions. Therefore, no instance of speech should be considered a crime unless it can be proven beyond any doubt that it will cause suffering, according to opponents. However, there is evidence of psychological harm caused by hate speech; such harm hinders victims’ ability to exert their rights (Harell 410). Truly equal opportunity is thus undermined by hate speech. In addition, there are precedents for circumventing First Amendment laws: Hughes cites four Supreme Court cases in which schools were allowed to restrict the speech of their students (217).…

    • 1095 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In many countries, hate speech has had laws set against it because they believe that it leads to violence, but in the United States it is considered a form of free speech so it is allowed with no limits. As part of the Constitution, freedom of speech is sometimes used so that people are allowed to express their opinions and say as they pleased. Many Americans want to ban hate speech from being a part of the First Amendment because they believe that it causes and provokes violence against others. Others want to defend their rights as citizens and be allowed to express their opinions with each other without being afraid that they might get fined or put in jail because someone didn’t like what they said and got offended. Hate speech should be…

    • 1733 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Freedom of speech can be debated on whether or not there should be boundaries to it or not and on what is considered freedom of speech. The First Amendment affirmed that "Congress shall make no law...abridging freedom of speech" but based on www.legal-dictionary.the free dictionary.com it states' All speech is not equal under the First Amendment. The high court has identified five areas of expression that the government may legitimately restrict under certain circumstances. These areas are speech that incites illegal activity and subversive speech, fighting words, obscenity and pornography, commercial speech, and symbolic expression'. On this information and amongst other I believe that freedom of speech is both restricted to a fault and abused.…

    • 980 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    However, people may argue no matter how hateful and disturbing the speech is, they should not have restrictions. Additionally, that those that were target should not take offence. They should just have the ability to ignore the speech. This is not always the case, however, some people really take offence to such words. People should not have fear when it comes to living in the United States, hateful and offensive speech should have some type of restriction.…

    • 514 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays