What Are The Importance Of Freedom Of Speech

817 Words 4 Pages

Our founding fathers thought highly of the idea of freedom of speech. They make it the first amendment. Why do we value this amendment? What is exactly freedom of speech and are we, as Americans, truly free to say what we want? What are the limitations if we do not have true freedom? Even though, we value freedom of speech for four main reasons, it is up to us how far should our freedom should extend and that there are a few limitations to our right to freedom of speech. Americans have appreciated the freedom of speech, since the founding fathers started this great nation. The United States, being a democracy, is a government where the people influence how the nation is run. You cannot expect to run a country when the voices of the people to not be heard or restricted, there would be no democracy if that were to happen. There are four main points why the founding fathers thought so greatly of the importance of freedom of speech: informed citizenry, regulator of the government, voice for the minority, and the preservation of the truth. By having informed citizens there is a less chance that the government can manipulate the people. Having the freedom to voice our opinions about the government makes the government accountable for …show more content…
Unfortunately, that is not the case. There are limitations on our right; pornography, obscenities, and criticizing our government or in other words, treason. Who makes these limitations? Since we have the right to free speech cannot we govern ourselves? The Supreme Court does not think so. According to the book, Keeping the Republic by Christina Barbour; “The history of freedom of speech cases is a history of the Court’s devising tests for itself to determine if certain speech should be protected or could be legitimately outlawed” (Keeping the Republic, Barbour,

Compare And Contrast The Freedom Of Speech And The Press

Still, Lee would point out that abridging means the exercise of prior restraint. The government can’t stop someone from publishing a malicious article, but the person can be punished after. However, to combat Lee’s argument Madison states that certain powers -enumerated powers- are given to the government, which is what they have total control over. There is no enumerated power in the Constitution for Congress to claim that they can control the press, therefore they shouldn’t be able to punish people even if it is after the article had already been published. In fact, the First Amendment added an express denial of any such power.…

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Free Speech Should Be Protected Essay

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) effectively argues that the Freedom of speech must be protected. With the strong use of ethos and pathos they were able to effectively persuade the audience into believing that they should be fighting for their freedom of speech. The American Civil Liberties Union’s article titled Free Speech Must Be Protected was extremely compelling. The way the article is set up was very effective in drawing in the audience. The ACLU starts off the article by stating and making clear the rights citizens are guaranteed by the first amendment.…

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Importance Of Freedom Of Speech

It is mine and every American citizen’s right to speak freely without repercussions to limit our ability to express ourselves. Limiting our rights to free speech would require amending the First Amendment, and if government cannot do so, then they cannot look for ways to punish people because of what they say. Is it okay for me to punch a man in his face for calling me stupid? Then why is it okay to get reprimanded or scolded to voice your opinion? The Constitution of the United States of America was written with certain protection of its people in mind.…

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The Importance Of National Security And The Protection Of Human Rights

Also the government can make decisions in their own self-interest politically or can just be wrong so an independent judge can be a useful oversight in these matters. It is also argued that since the government is elected it is best placed to protect the country from threats. The body that usually makes these decisions though are the civil servants working for the government who are also unelected. This makes judges are an independent body better placed to make decisions that can restrict a citizens human rights. There is also fear in the government in making decisions on national security than can lead to laws that will discriminate on minorities and foreign nationals.…

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The Importance Of The Bill Of Rights

The U.S. would not be better off without the "Bill of Rights", in fact America would presumably fall apart without it. The Bill of Rights has protected the citizens of America from being attacked and treated unjustly by the government as well as others. Without the Bill of Rights, Congress would possess the ability to have complete control over the citizens, meaning they could search ones house without a warrant or they could make it illegal to have an opinion and to practice a religion. Essentially, many of the privileges we have today would no longer be given to us without the "Bill of Rights". Law-abiding citizens definitely need the "Bill of Rights" as without it they may no longer be law-abiding.…

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Free Speech Essay

“ I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” – S.G Tallentyre. Freedom of speech was established in the first amendment of the United States constitution in 1971 and coincided with the freedom of religion and the right to assemble. Why do we need the right to free speech? Free speech is a human right that prevents hate speech from arising thus promoting a healthy, free culture. Free speech is one of the most important freedoms and rights in the world that allow for people to be able to express their religion and political views freely furthermore creating a certain equality between different religions moreover preventing demoralization entirely.…

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David Hume Civic Virtue Analysis

The two views can indeed be reconciled. Price and Hume would almost certainly not entertain the idea that just because a nation 's constitution protects them from the non-virtuous, it is an unimportant aspect of a statesman and the success of a nation. However, Hume does state that through checks and balances even a man with malicious intent will act for what is best for the Public Good. In an elected polity, like the one each author seems to base their arguments, the representatives selected by the citizens must hold nearly or exactly the same values and principles as the people electing them. Therefore, it is not easy for a non-virtuous nation to choose the best and most virtuous statesman.…

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First Amendment Importance

We may not be able to be recognized as “land of the free and the home of the brave”. The First Amendment allows for American citizens to be a voice within our own government. We can express our opinions on politics, elected officials, representatives, laws, and important decisions that make us a leading, successful nation. The United States government is run “by the people, and for the people”. In a way, the citizens work as a check and balance system if our government infringes on what we deem unacceptable, “[i]t is not the function of our government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error” (Justice Jackson).…

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Speech On Freedom Of Speech

Freedom of Speech Free speech is considered one of the most significant parts of the Constitution today because of its impact on everyday life. The Constitution in the First Amendment notes that the Congress has no power to abridge the freedom of speech or even that of the press. The government, therefore, does not have any role in restricting or constraining speech, but the Supreme Court understands that some restrictions must be in place to avoid getting out of hand. Sometimes, the use of vulgar language can be considered a violation of the freedom of speech, an aspect that could affect the way people interact on a daily basis. Without such restrictions, it becomes difficult to ascertain the role of law in keeping order within the society.…

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The Importance Of The United States Government

Also, it is appropriate to go against the government if done so peacefully. Back in the day, equality was something that was not typically found. Throughout the world, quality is not the same. Whether it be about ethnicity, religion, or gender the government should not be able to endorse any form of prejudice. If the government is endorsing any form of mistreatment or any quality than the people have every right to go against their government.…

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What Are The Importance Of Freedom Of Speech

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