Introduction of the topic Freedom of Speech II. Informing —Describe the personal liberty and the amendment The first amendment, written in the bill of rights, is used to ensure that some of the most fundamental human rights are provided to U.S. citizens equally. Freedom of speech, being one of these fundamental liberties, has been questioned quite often though, in terms of limitations. III.…
The Freedom of Speech is one of the most powerful amendments that we have as apart of the United States Constitution. Without this right many ideas, beliefs and inventions would not exist today and the majority of the society would be left in ignorance. This right is given to all American citizens and allows them to speak their minds, beliefs and ideas to anybody of people that are willing to listen to them. Though Freedom of Speech is considered a general terms that applies to all forms of speech, there are a few exceptions to the rule.…
Some argue that hate speech should be used outside of campus and away from students who might be offended, but in classrooms learning about hate speech is a place to start discussing it. Harvard is an example where speech codes would not benefit students in their education where students who want to become “young lawyers also need education in the habit of equanimity in the face of hostility; in the skill of mustering social pressure to fight those battles of which law is inapt or too expensive; indecency and courage to speak up on behalf of those who are being treated rudely” (Volokh). Being able to stand up and protect others can be taught in classrooms, but if speech codes disallow students to contend their discussions, the experience and education would be lost which would rather than support education, demolish it. Also, the ability to problem solve in a tense situation can be very important for students working their way into lawyers who normally deal with hostile language and social…
THESIS: The first amendment of the constitution of the United States protects our right to freedom of speech. However, the freedom to speak should not entitle the speaker to purposely hurt another person by revealing private matters or spreading rumors and lies.…
One of America’s greatest presidents in history, John F. Kennedy once said that the first and most efficient particles of “individual liberty is the freedom of speech; the right to express and communicate ideas, to set oneself apart from the dumb beasts of field and forest . . .” Many American politicians and lawmakers today seems to have lost sight of the…
Proponents advocating for speech codes on college campuses claimed that it provided a safe environment for the campuses affiliates. Students should not have had to fear repercussions for their "immutable characteristics" or opinions based on theories, beliefs, or morals (Fraleigh and Tuman, 1997, p. 170). Hate speech, which is any form of insult directed at a single group based on a similar characteristic, was the trigger that jump started speech codes. Regarded by some as unnecessary for the learning environment, hate speech has provoked many violent crimes, but even fiercer battles within the walls of the courtroom. Proponents maintained that hate speech was comparable to fighting words, a type of speech that does not receive First Amendment protection (Hudson Jr., 2005). Speech codes were not developed to restrict speech, but to protect the victims from the offensive words made by others on a college campus.…
Freedom of speech is part of the first amendment which states, “You are free to say almost anything except that which is obscene, slanders another person, or has a high probability of inciting others to take imminent lawless action.” (Patterson, 2008, p. 98) With the freedom of speech it is necessary to put certain restraints into place. The government cannot restrict what people say unless there is a clear and present danger to other people from the voicing of the statement. The freedom of speech was originally intended to give people the right to voice their opinion without being taken to court for it as long as it did not hurt anyone. Currently freedom of speech is viewed as a way to allow people the chance to speak for themselves. By allowing this government is allowing people to have a say in their governance and not ruled by the government without their input. This allows us to have a say in our government and what is represented by us. In 1927, Fiske vs. Kansas was a case that helped to invalidate state laws that restricted expression. The events that changed freedom of speech over the years are the burning of the flag court case, the “pentagon paper” publishing, and other such events throughout the years.…
However freedom of speech is not absolute. The word “abridging” in the Free Speech Clause suggests that government cannot deprive the right to freedom of speech; but at the same time the suggestion is unclear about whether the government can put restrictions on how “free” the speech can be. Most people when mention the word “speech”, usually have the tendency to think of spoken words and often neglect the existence of…
In the debate over whether speech codes should be enforced or not on university campuses, the opponents conclude that university’s should not enforce a hate speech code because it impedes academic freedom. On the other side of the debate, the supporters conclude that it is a university’s responsibility to enforce hate speech code for an equal education opportunity. In this essay, I will conclude that hate speech should be regulated by a code enforced by the university because of the protection it offers. In the article titled, “Speech Codes Threaten the Free Exchange of Ideas on College Campuses” Eugene Volokh concludes that colleges should enforce a speech code.…
Neil Gaiman once said, “The current total of countries in the world with First Amendments is one. You have guaranteed the freedom of speech. Other countries don’t have that.” At the time of the amendments’ creation, a vast majority of operating countries had not yet granted their people such freedoms. Granting every citizen of the United States this right seemed to have been an important landmark in this nation’s history. Along with others, this right is declared to the people in the first amendment of the constitution. The first amendment is the most important because it grants people freedom of speech, prohibits prior restraint, and declares the right to peaceable assembly.…
In the debate over censorship of hate speech on college campuses, the opponents conclude that colleges should censor hate speech on campus because minorities have the civil right to equal enjoyment of education, free of harassment. On the other side of the debate, the supporters conclude that we should not censor hate speech on campus because students have a right to academic freedom. In this essay I will conclude that colleges should not censor hate speech.…
Allowing people to speak freely is easy when what they say is not offensive. Being free to say things that offend or insult other groups of people may be necessary to challenge those in power or to identify problems within society. I am sure some would argue that hate speech serves no purpose but to offend and divide. To that argument, I would quickly point out that we should not be afraid of what people say, write, or think. You don't fight ideas by attempting to silence them. You fight them with better ideas. Also, who decides what is offensive? For example, if someone said, “I'm sick of Black people killing each other in Chicago”, some would find that offensive, but is that hate speech? We can easily say no, but it would not be our decision. Once a law is in place, those in charge decide how it is implemented. This is the other problem with limiting free speech, those in power would set and interpret the law. History is littered with examples of people gaining power then using that power to silence their…
Speech codes, with all of their formal clauses, are in fact a parody of the rule of law, but we should not obsess about them. Freedom dies in the heart and will before it dies in the law. Speech codes merely formalize the will to censor and to devalue liberty of thought and speech. Even without invoking codes, universities have found ways to silence or to chill freedom of opinion and expression (Kors).…
Even though there has been a large increase in the number of hate speech codes in colleges and universities, the increase in the amount of hate speech incidents across the nation shows that these guidelines have be ineffective. Ben Wildavsky the author of “Rethinking Campus Speech Codes”, talks about how “campus wars over race and gender have hardly died down”, and that the “speech codes have done little to ease tension” (415). Hate speech codes attempt to create a safer more politically correct environment on college campuses by setting forth guidelines for students to follow, but they are failing miserably. The guidelines are so vague that “several major universities have been held unconstitutional”, for trying to write campus speech codes. For instance: In 1989, a federal judge overturned parts of the University of Michigan’s speech code after a biopsychology graduate student said he feared the rules would prevent him from discussing controversial theories about biological differences among the sexes and races (Wildavsky 415). Making students follow the hate speech codes is a violation of their First Amendment which entitles…
Since the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995, the number of hate sites has increased from one to many. “Today, Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Anti-Defamation League have documented about 2,800 hate sites,” and growing (Leet, 288). Since globalization took place in our world, the internet has become a place where anyone is able to expose all sorts of information to the billions of eyes of the public. Globalization has it’s positive effects and also, increasingly, it’s negative; Hate speech on cyberhate sites is one of them. The United States is one of the most diverse countries in the world. There is however still a notion that the white people are the ‘superior race’. Racial discrimination is still very much alive in our world…