Anthony Lewis makes a reference in his book, Freedom for the Thought We Hate, of times in history when Americans were given freedom of speech but with very strict limitations: this was apparent even more so during a time of combat and national turmoil. As stated by Justice Holmes, “the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent” (Lewis, pg. 26). It is evident now and long ago that the government has had a tight grasp on what can be considered appropriate freedom of speech. There has to be boundaries set to ensure that there is still a sense of structure. At the time when America was at war with Vietnam, a time when the nation was at a venerable state, the government determined whether freedom of speech and press was destroying the nation or helping it.…
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…
One of the most important rights the American people have is the freedom of speech. The Constitution states; “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.” The freedom of speech and press gives the people the right to express their views, and hear the views of others. The American government is set up in a way that requires the ability of the people to express their views. While, freedom of speech is protected by the 1st amendment, not all forms of expression are.…
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…
The word censorship defines as blocking something from being heard, seen or read. I believe that there was a time that when censorship should be appropriate for the First Amendment. Although the First Amendment is about the free flow of information, ideas, and opinions that can be expressed in our society by responsible citizens, however, our government should be able to regulate the speech through the court consistently to determine if the government’s reason outweighs the importance of our democratic freedoms with ethical responsibilities. Censorship can also be an act of changing a message, including the change of deletion (complete removal of the message of the news or what was said), between the sender and the receiver. Censorship can be used for the good, by being ethically responsible.…
After reading all things about the online privacy and freedom of speech, it can now cause someone to form an opinion on the big question. Should the people really have the right to the First Amendment or anonymity online? The strong arguments from both sides will always be building and building but a person cannot deny that everyone has the constitutional right to their freedom of speech. Although not mentioned in the First Amendment, for obvious reasons, if online is a place someone can speak in the U.S. then they are protected.…
Vinton G. Cerf’s article, “Internet Access is Not a Human Right”, discusses about the issue raised from the relationship between internet access and the human right. Cerf argues against the idea that recognizes internet access as a human right. A brief analysis of the purpose, audience, arrangement and content of the article can help us to see how Cerf makes a convincing conclusion based on the argument discussion. The decisive title of the article, “Internet Access is Not a Human Right”, makes it clear that it is a persuasive work. Cerf’s purpose is to refute the opponent and persuade that internet access is a new way allowing people to exercise their rights instead of a right itself, and further protection on internet users…
The First Amendment states “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.” The establishment of the Amendment allows for the prevention of Censorship by the Government. Censorship by the government would take away a large amount of rights for all people. The First Amendment is important as it allows for freedom of expression in entertainment, speech, and politics. The government is trying to censor Television shows from kids.…
Civil Liberties are fundamental individual freedoms that are guaranteed explicitly identified in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. Civil liberties include: Freedom of speech, the right to privacy, the right to be free from unreasonable searches of your home, the right to a fair court trial, the right to marry, and the right to vote. The First Amendment expresses “Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” The prohibition on abridgment of the freedom of speech is not absolute.…
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.…
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.…
America is no longer the land of the free. Under the First Amendment, the citizens of the United States are guaranteed many freedoms, including the freedom of speech. However, this right has become more limited over the past years. Not everyone has the same beliefs, but this should not prevent citizens from freely expressing their First Amendment rights.…
First of all, hate speech is one reason why comments should be moderated on social media. According to the article Preventing Online Hate Speech Through Social Media And Democratic Participation, hate speech can be defined as “antisocial oratory that is intended to encourage persecution against people because of their race, color, religion, ethnic group, or nationality, and has a substantial likelihood of causing...harm” (Tesis, 2002, p.211). Some people just want to say harsh words to people to get attention, or they just want to be famous on Internet. Some people might find those comments are not appropriate and should be banned on the Internet.…
Censorship and the effect it has on social media. The world has been changing over the years and with it society has been changing as well. Now, change might not always be for a negative result but it can confuse many people; in their way of thinking and even the way of behavior. There will always be people trying to express themselves in ways other people do no understand and think it is wrong because that was the way they were thought and raise.…
Words Liability Do you have a Facebook? Did you post some opinions on the Facebook?Freedom of speech is a fundamental value in the United States. All Americans believe in that they have right to express their own opinions, but words we express have the power may cause a positive or negative effect that we can’t imagine. According to the article “The Critic in Time of War”, the author Margo Jefferson claims that “We can be acutely responsible for the meanings and powers of language.” It means writers should responsible for using their words with careful consideration.…