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DNA109.014
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1994-08-24
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5KB
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80 lines
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"How Free is Free Speech?"
by:
·lue ·alls
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The question about limitations on rights seems to always
arise...therefore it is no surprise that I bring up a rather old
question and come up with some new answers. Free speech has
always been a right that Americans were proud of, something that
all humans should have, being the right to say anything without the
fear of persecution. Unfortunately even in the U.S. there are
limitations or restrictions that blatantly conflict with freedom
of speech.
In the U.S. Bill of Rights it clearly states that "Congress
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom
of speech." In another document it says that no person can
publicly or privately threaten the President of the United
States. Is it just me or is there a slight conflict between the
two statements above? It isn't that I believe that anyone
should go and threaten the President, but I have always believed
that the highest power of law in America was not the judicial
system, but in fact the U.S. Bill of Rights and the U.S.
Constitution. Wouldn't the act of taking away the right to speak
badly of the President abridge the freedom of speech? I think so
and I know others do also. If I threatened the common person I
couldn't be arrested unless there was probable cause yet I could be
arrested for threatening the President even if I was joking about
it and there was no probable cause. The first amendment basically
says that the freedom of speech can not be changed in any way
therefore this law should be removed.
Other laws such as the law that states it is illegal to offend
an officer of the law should also be addressed. If I went up to
a cop and called him a piece of shit I can legitimately be
arrested. Isn't that an obvious form of freedom of speech? As
an American that supposedly has all of those wonderful rights
written up in the U.S. Constitution I should be able to go up to
a cop and voice my opinion about him.
On June 21, 1989 the Supreme Court ruled that burning an
American Flag is a form of free speech, and although some people
may not approve of it they can't do shit about it because of the
first ammendment in the U.S. Bill of Rights. If burning a U.S.
flag can be considered perfectly legal then why are making a
threat to the president or offending an officer illegal?
How the hell do these laws get passed if they infringe on the
rights guarantied on the rights guarentied by the U.S.
Constitution? Thank Congress for passing these laws. Congress
has the power to make and pass laws, but the President has to
approve them. Even if the President does veto the law congress
can still pass it with a 2/3 majority vote. The question is why
would 2/3 of Congress vote for an unconstitutional law, well the
answer is money. Congress has been corrupt for a long time and
with corruption comes greed. So if someone wants a law passed
it can usually get passed if they have enough support and money.
The government has gone too far. In 1776 or incredible document
was created that guarentied any U.S. citizen a proper government
that allowed many freedoms. Now the government works hard to
try to change the past and so far I think they have succeeded.
Since the mid 1900s Congress has slowly made new laws that take
away some of the rights that all Americans are entitled to
according to the Constitution. These new laws put limitations
and restrictions on our rights. Are we going to stand for this
shit? I hope not because if we are as passive as we've been in
the past we are going to end up with no rights or freedoms. The
government will transform into a communist system. You have the
power to change the future so be prepared to fight for your
rights.
·lue ·alls