The 1st Amendment rulz
After reading this basic introduction of free speech, check out our other free speech articles:
Freedom of speech is a guarantee enshrined for United States citizens in the constitution.
“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.”
We share this value with many other democratic nations, including Poland, Spain, Mexico, Canada, and Australia among others. In the United States, freedom of speech includes words and other types of symbolic expression, though it isn't absolute.
This includes...
The right not to speak–specifically, not to salute the flag
The right to engage in symbolic speech, like burning the flag
The right of students to wear symbolic clothing to express sentiments about a war
The right to use certain offensive words and phrases for political messaging
The right to contribute money to political campaigns under certain circumstances
The right to advertise commercial products and professional services
It doesn't include...
The right to incite imminent lawless behaviors
The right to make or distribute obscene materials
The right to burn draft cards in protest of a war
The right to print student newspaper articles over the objections of school administration
The right of students to make an obscene speech at a school sponsored event
The right of students to advocate the use of illicit drugs at a school-sponsored event
These may seem very specific, but they're each the result of a Supreme Court case–representing how our judicial system works out what laws and founding principles actually mean over time.
Again, make sure to check out our other free speech articles!
References:
Gray, A. (2016). Freedom of speech: Which country has the most?. WEforum.org. Retrieved on June 12, 2022 from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/11/freedom-of-speech-country-comparison/
United States Courts (n.d.). What does free speech mean?. USCourts.gov. Retrieved on June 12, 2022 from https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/what-does
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