Free Speech vs Hate Speech Essay - 1647 Words

Free Speech vs. Harmful Hate Speech Freedom of speech is instilled at the beginning of the Bill of Rights and it allows citizens of the United States to express their opinions without being afraid of what might happen to them, much like in other countries. Many times people are directly or indirectly harmed by others’ actions that are considered a right under the freedom of speech clause. Though, some people worry that if we do not allow for complete freedom of speech, it is hard to figure out what the limits are. So how can we distinguish between what is covered under our freedom of speech right and what is not if there are no limits? Freedom of speech is a constitutional right given to every citizen, entitling them to voice their†¦show more content†¦In response, the Superintendent issued a ban on all such anti-religious speech. Ironically, the cheerleaders meant no harm, obviously the banner was against a school whose mascot was a Native American. The cheerleaders in turn, sued the school district to preserve their rights to free speech, which resulted in an injunction allowing them to display the banner. â€Å"Free speech prevailed, reminding us of the well-established principle that students do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate† (Mateer). In a case such as this, where no one was being harmed, an advocacy group came out and stated that the banner indeed racially targeted a group of individuals, when in fact it was not doing anything of the sort. Things like this will always happen, it does not matter if boundaries are placed on the freedom of speech clause or not, there will always be a way to get around it unless the government says â€Å"no one has any freedom of speech.† In this day and age, we are subject to many instances of harmful hate speech, even if it is not directed toward us. The current legal standing in the United States state that the government cannot limit speech on the basis of its content. Thus, speech cannot be censored because its message is racist, religious, sexist, or inspirational. While the prevailing attitude in the American judicialShow MoreRelatedFree Speech vs. Hate Speech Essay1362 Words   |  6 Pageshistory, the United States Constitution has been put to the test over the issue of free speech. 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. Even though free speech is one of the core American values proudly embedded in each citizen, some poopAmericansRead MoreFree Speech Vs Hate Speech Essay769 Words   |  4 PagesFree speech versus hate speech is a very widespread debate as there are convincing arguments on both sides that are very compelling. Although there a re many points commonly used to back up the argument that are false and inaccurate. All Americans have a right to freedom of religion, speech, press, petition, and assembly as depicted in the first amendment, but the exceptions to freedom of speech have never directly been acknowledged by the U.S. Supreme Court. The common slippery-slope argument forRead MoreThe Freedom Of Hate Speech Is Not Freedom Speech1143 Words   |  5 PagesHate Speech is not Freedom Speech Between August 11th and August 12th of 2017, the world watched the disturbance news of what was going on in Charlottesville, Virginia. The horrific videos and images left the world in shock. Groups of white supremacy, nationalists, hitler youths marched in unison screaming, â€Å"White lives matter! Blood and Soils! You will not replace us! Jews will not replace us!† More groups enraged their voices across Virginia to scream hate speech to other races. They threatenedRead MoreHate Speech1536 Words   |  7 PagesHate Speech Essay In the first amendment of the United States constitution, American citizens are guaranteed the right to free speech. This is a fundamental right of American law, and one of the foundations of the U.S. Constitution. It is also the breeding ground for one of the most widely debated issues in America: What, if any, measures should be put into place to regulate hateful language? Most people will agree under one definition or another that hate speech is a socially deviant activityRead MorePaper on Freedom for the Thought That We Hate825 Words   |  4 PagesPaper on Freedom for the Thought that we Hate In the book Freedom for the Thought that we Hate, author Anthony Lewis takes a simply phrased law, the First Amendment and shows how complex freedom of speech really is once put into the real world of freedom, as we know it. He shows through his rejections of absolutism, strong support towards freedom restriction, and objective analysis of Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, that the United States press is unlike any other in the world. Lewis rejectsRead MoreSpeech On Freedom Of Speech1484 Words   |  6 Pagesof Speech Professor Hunt Culver Stockton College Freedom of Speech Americans have many freedoms that people in other countries can only wish they had. Just imagine a life where you could possibly be killed for speaking your mind and stating your opinion, other countries are living lives like that. According to Katy Davis, The United States ratified the first amendment on December 15th 1791 (Davis, n.d). We as a country don’t know where the government draws the line between hate speechRead MoreWe Must Stop Hate Speech1709 Words   |  7 Pages During the turbulent tides of the 2016 election, the question of whether or not hate speech is protected under the First Amendment has been brought up multiple times. Hate speech is defined by the American Bar Association as â€Å"speech that offends, threatens, or insults groups, based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other traits.† One side argues that hateful comments should not and are not protected due to the oppression they bring. After all, why wouldRead More The Controversy Over Internet Censorship Essay1152 Words   |  5 Pagescan be accessed at the touch of a button: anything from encyclopedias, to surveys and essays, to articles from magazines, and adult sites.   Anyone who pays for their Internet service is usually offered space for his or her own web page, and even many free services provide space for personal web pages.   All of this available space can be used for any number of reasons: posting newsletters for community groups, advertising for businesses, or just voicing one’s opinion.   For those of us who know how toRead More Censorship and the Internet Essay1213 Words   |  5 Pagesgreater space for free expression in countries where traditional broadcast and print media are restricted† (64). Free expression is a very guarded privilege to United States citizens. Private citizens and businesses can censor what is accessed on their computers to protect themselves, so why would it not be acce ptable for the government to censor what is accessed in order to protect the citizens of the United States of America. Some believe this is an infringement of free speech, while others findRead MoreFree Speech : The Importance Of The Freedom Of Speech1079 Words   |  5 PagesFree speech in my mind, should be universally protected, except when that speech turns into hate against any particular minority and incites violence that is not needed for the safety of the public at large. Freedom of speech serves to be a fundamental democratic right that affords every citizen to participate in the United States constitutional democracy. It is a vital tool because it can be used by every person, rich, poor, black or white, to voice their concerns and rejections of the federal or