What is the benefit of freedom of speech?

[Rich2018]

What do you guys think the benefit is to freedom of speech?

In my opinion, nice and kind speech needs no protection.

It is awful, disgusting, filthy, horrible, hateful, and nasty speech that needs to be protected, especially hate speech.

If people can run their mouth with filth they will feel satiated and can go on about their business. If you silence them then they have to resort to other methods to obtain satiation. They have to commit violence. Freedom of speech keeps us safe from lunatics. Besides when lunatics speak it invokes thoughts from their opponents that can lead to superior ideas that would have not existed if the the bad ideas were silenced. The free exchange of ideas only works if you let horrible ideas see the light of day. The bad ideas are more important than the neutral ideas.

Very few people see the beauty in free speech. Most people think free speech is horrific.

Silencing people keeps us with a status as an ok country. Allowing free speech to all citizens has the potential to make us a great country.

So you disagree with the concepts of libel and slander ?

 

[alabamamember]

So you disagree with the concepts of libel and slander ?

Yes I do. Let all the ideas surface. That way the public can try their best to pick out which one is true and which one is not.

 

[Real blank]

Free speech is important because hate speech can be the norm and vice versa. Take homosexuality in the past talking positively about could be called hate speech ungodly etc.Now people would call the opposite so.

 

[Rich2018]

Yes I do. Let all the ideas surface. That way the public can try their best to pick out which one is true and which one is not.

So you think people should be able to accuse others of anything without repercussion ?

So Joe Biden publicly accusing Donald Trump of being a pedophile rapist is perfectly OK ?

 

[alabamamember]

So you think people should be able to accuse others of anything without repercussion ?

Yes

So Joe Biden publicly accusing Donald Trump of being a pedophile rapist is perfectly OK ?

Yes

 

[bomberfox]

I think advocating for genocide needs to be considered as being exempt. Nazis and Klukkers are not just people we think are abhorrent, but they are organizations dedicated towards terrorizing and murdering certain peoples. This is something the ACLU needs to come to terms with. There is a difference between saying homosexuality is a sin, gay people are icky, and using slurs and openly telling people they need to eradicate certain peoples. I think its time to finally put nazis and klukkers in the dustbin of history much more forcefully.

Unfortunately i do not believe there is a peaceful solution to this problem other than possibly allowing targeted groups to use slander/libel laws.

The only thing ive seen come out of the ACLU defending nazis and klukkers is more agony and bloodshed.

 

[Peter]

Freedom of speech is needed so I can say American cheese is an abomination that should be erased from existence.

 

[Rich2018]

Yes

Yes

Interesting. I'm guessing that you have a very limited exposure to the real world.

I somehow doubt that you'd have similar views if you were the victim of hate speech or malicious slander/libel

Especially if you were to lose business and/or your job.

 

[Rich2018]

Freedom of speech is needed so I can say American cheese is an abomination that should be erased from existence.

But you wouldn't expect to be able to say that a particular brand of US cheese is poisonous and should be avoided

The difference between expressing an opinion and maliciously stating a falsehood.

 

[Peter]

But you wouldn't expect to be able to say that a particular brand of US cheese is poisonous and should be avoided

The difference between expressing an opinion and maliciously stating a falsehood.

That would obviously be slander unless I can somehow prove my point.

 

[Rich2018]

That would obviously be slander unless I can somehow prove my point.

Not sure you can prove a falsehood.

 

[alabamamember]

And yet here you are speaking out against the government. Do let us know when the secret police come knocking at your door.

I could give dozens of examples. All I have to do is go to your local courthouse for a week straight. What county and state do you live in?

 

[alabamamember]

Such as?

Sorry, didn't specify. For the US.

Nor will I ever. If I did, you’d just say it was good that person went to jail or was convicted for what they said. I wouldn’t convince one single soul. I know to be careful about what I say. I hope you never see what I seen.

 

[alabamamember]

Free Speech isn't absolute. You can't shout "Bomb!" in an airport and have the government just ignore it.

You actually can but a local court would convict you. If a fight was made all the way to the Supreme Court then they would rule that you could say, “Bomb!” As a matter of fact, you and I both just said, “Bomb’”

 

[alabamamember]

Tell me an instance where someone IN THE US was convicted and went to prison based on what they said. I say you're FOC.

Two years ago I would have thought the same way as you. You will not be convinced and I am glad of that. I hope you die believing that no American has ever been convicted for saying something improper.

 

[alabamamember]

Sure, free speech, let's try it out here. See how long you last. Same with other privately held entities. Whiners whining about being censored on X or Facebook but say they can understand the censorship on here. Really rich.
As for public expressions. There are limits. And they are there to protect people. Slander laws for example. BUT AGAIN, whiners who constantly whine about their free speech are the same crowd who whine about how a beer company advertises their beer cans or what publications say nasty things about their fearless leader. Talk about self-owning.

Just be nice to people and you won’t get into any trouble. My mom always told me that. It’s true.

The opposite is true as well. Say something mean to or about someone then you will get into trouble. The freedom of speech is just a joke for us all to enjoy together as a country.

 

[Stealers Wheel]

Two years ago I would have thought the same way as you. You will not be convinced and I am glad of that. I hope you die believing that no American has ever been convicted for saying something improper.

Did I say freedom of speech is without limits? No, I did not. There is a whole laundry lists of limitations on freedom of speech.

You are suggesting that if there is any limit to the FOS, then it is an illusion. The Constitution is not a suicide pact. Keep that in mind while you're talking to me

 

[alabamamember]

Did I say freedom of speech is without limits? No, I did not. There is a whole laundry lists of limitations on freedom of speech.

If you can add one thing to the list then you can add another as well.

That’s why the founders thought it was so important. Wicked people love silencing those who expose them. At least our founding fathers tried.

If I was ever a judge I wouldn’t last ten minutes. I’d never punish a single soul for anything they said. I’d be one assassinated judge.

As long as humans breath there will never be freedom of speech. It’s a beautiful concept though.

 

[Stealers Wheel]

S

If you can add one thing to the list then you can add another as well.

That’s why the founders thought it was so important. Wicked people love silencing those who expose them. At least our founding fathers tried.

If I was ever a judge I wouldn’t last ten minutes. I’d never punish a single soul for anything they said. I’d be one assassinated judge.

As long as humans breath there will never be freedom of speech. It’s a beautiful concept though.

So you'd have no use for libel or slander laws? If the publisher of a large newspaper decided to print lies daily about a young lady who rebuffed his lecherous advances, you'd be OK with that?

If a jokster decided to scream "he's got a gun!" in a crowd right before setting off a pack of firecrackers and in the panic a bunch of people got hurt, you would want to go easy on him?

When a group of rednecks walk into a black neighborhood bar on MLK Day and announcing they were the local lynching committee, you would find them completely innocent of any wrongdoing in the ensuing riot?

No limit on how many times the defendant gets to shout down the judge and witnesses during his trial? Freedom of speech, baby!

 

[Slartibartfast]

If you use your freedom of speech to be an asshole, I can use my freedom of speech and association to deal with that in a way that works for me.

 

[soylentgreen]

I could give dozens of examples. All I have to do is go to your local courthouse for a week straight. What county and state do you live in?

I am sure you could. Dozens of examples where someone has done one or more of the following

• Incitement to Imminent Lawless Action. The First Amendment does not protect speech that incites people to break the law, including to commit acts of violence. ...
• Fighting Words. ...
• True Threats. ...
• Obscenity. ...
• Defamation. ...
• Harassment. ...
• Material and Substantial Disruption.

But I doubt you could give an example where a person said something that did not offend some one else being charged in court.

 

[soylentgreen]

Just be nice to people and you won’t get into any trouble. My mom always told me that. It’s true.

The opposite is true as well. Say something mean to or about someone then you will get into trouble. The freedom of speech is just a joke for us all to enjoy together as a country.

You have to be kidding with this. Your advocating a limit on freedom of speech to only say nice things to people. Now that is a good example of a ****ed up idea on how freedom of speech should work.

 

[alabamamember]

S

So you'd have no use for libel or slander laws? If the publisher of a large newspaper decided to print lies daily about a young lady who rebuffed his lecherous advances, you'd be OK with that?

If a jokster decided to scream "he's got a gun!" in a crowd right before setting off a pack of firecrackers and in the panic a bunch of people got hurt, you would want to go easy on him?

When a group of rednecks walk into a black neighborhood bar on MLK Day and announcing they were the local lynching committee, you would find them completely innocent of any wrongdoing in the ensuing riot?

No limit on how many times the defendant gets to shout down the judge and witnesses during his trial? Freedom of speech, baby!

Yes to all. Bad action deserves to be punished. Bad speech deserves to be mocked with more bad speech.

 

[alabamamember]

You have to be kidding with this. Your advocating a limit on freedom of speech to only say nice things to people. Now that is a good example of a ****ed up idea on how freedom of speech should work.

lol welcome to reality. There is no free speech silly boy.

 

[alabamamember]

Your advocating a limit on freedom of speech to only say nice things to people.

Nope. I never done such a thing. I spelled out reality.

Read my other comments about free speech.