Member-only story
“Freedom of Speech” and “Hate Speech”
Freedom of speech, our First Amendment, is a vital part of the U.S. Constitution. But lately, particularly among the right, it has been used as a protective aura around their hate-filled rhetoric. To fully understand we need to look at a) what the First Amendment is, b) the difference between hate speech & freedom of speech and c) where freedom of speech should/shouldn’t be applied.
The Constitution of the United States’s 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.
This clearly states that Congress has no right to restrict an individual, group or the media’s freedom of speech. Meaning we are “entitled to our opinion” as concerns the government, which is not allowed to hinder our ability to voice dissent.
Nevertheless, as vital as this constitutional amendment is for a “democratic society”, this protection is being incorrectly utilized to protect people and groups that do not and should…
