Back to category: Politics

Limited version - please login or register to view the entire paper.

Free Speech & The Constitution

Offensive Speech: What limitations, if any, should be placed on it?
“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 Constitution). The first amendment of the Constitution states that people have the freedom of speech. Plain and simple this means that people have the right to say whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want. The Bill of Rights does not address offensive speech, so, there is no way of knowing what offensive speech actually is. Offensive speech to one person could be the daily prayers of another. The freedom of speech was given to the people to protect all speech, even speech that is extreme, outrageous, and offensive.
So what limits should be placed on offensive speech? According to the first amendment there should not be any...

Posted by: Alexander Bartfield

Limited version - please login or register to view the entire paper.