TranceAddict Forums (www.tranceaddict.com/forums)
- Political Discussion / Debate
-- Freedom of Speech

Freedom of Speech

Americans love to throw this term around... but what does it really mean? Americans are especially arrogant and defensive when it comes to this topic. I personally think speech is free no matter what. There are consequences for things we say, period. I have the freedom to say what i want anywhere. Discuss amongst yerselves...

freedom of speech does not exist anymore...

when i think that 4 multinational groups own a majority of the medias worldwide, its very hard to believe that these companies would not be biased in some way...

think about it 4 groups or a 100 (just a number) smaller groups, in which scenario will you find a larger spectrum of opinions?

as one of my univeristy teacher nicely put: you can talk as long as you want, but no one listens to you hehehe

I was under the impression that "freedom of speech" meant you could talk freely/publish freely as long as it didn't violate somebody else's rights or it was false speech or print such as libel or slander. I could be wrong though, but that's what I remember from my high school government class.

Re: Freedom of Speech

quote:

Originally posted by trancedfarmer Americans love to throw this term around... but what does it really mean? Americans are especially arrogant and defensive when it comes to this topic. I personally think speech is free no matter what. There are consequences for things we say, period. I have the freedom to say what i want anywhere. Discuss amongst yerselves...

Generalizing that "Americans" love to throw this term around, and that we are all especially arrogant, is pretty arrogant and ignorant in my opinion. Remeber, generalizations aren't true and don't stereotype and entire country of people based on what a few people do. While some Americans do throw this term around, very few know what it actually means. For example, you can't just walk into a public mall and start screaming profanity, getting arrested, and then saying you have "freedom of speech", and that your rights had been violated. So basically, you can't just go around saying what you want, when you want, however you want. You have to remember other people's rights as well.

Re: Re: Freedom of Speech

quote:

Originally posted by XeroREVERSION Generalizing that "Americans" love to throw this term around, and that we are all especially arrogant, is pretty arrogant and ignorant in my opinion. Remeber, generalizations aren't true and don't stereotype and entire country of people based on what a few people do. While some Americans do throw this term around, very few know what it actually means. For example, you can't just walk into a public mall and start screaming profanity, getting arrested, and then saying you have "freedom of speech", and that your rights had been violated. So basically, you can't just go around saying what you want, when you want, however you want. You have to remember other people's rights as well.

take it for what its worth. i didnt say all americans display such arrogance. anyways, i think the whole freedom of speech concept is totally obselete and corrupt due to the fact that there are too many inconsistancies and possibiblities for exception.

quote:

Originally posted by XeroREVERSION I was under the impression that "freedom of speech" meant you could talk freely/publish freely as long as it didn't violate somebody else's rights or it was false speech or print such as libel or slander. I could be wrong though, but that's what I remember from my high school government class.

they'll only listen to a "freedom of speech" when they want to lock you up

Re: Re: Re: Freedom of Speech

quote:

Originally posted by trancedfarmer take it for what its worth. i didnt say all americans display such arrogance. anyways, i think the whole freedom of speech concept is totally obselete and corrupt due to the fact that there are too many inconsistancies and possibiblities for exception.

Is there a problem with freedom of speech in america that I wasn't aware of? There are exceptions to this in every country (you can't engage in malicious slandering) but the right to express your views and speak out is fundamentally there.

Prime example: all those wonderful kkk rallys that are held across the country with the police (it's so funny seeing black police officers among them) protecting them from getting a collosal ass kicking by the public.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Freedom of Speech

quote:

Originally posted by occrider Prime example: all those wonderful kkk rallys that are held across the country with the police (it's so funny seeing black police officers among them) protecting them from getting a collosal ass kicking by the public.

By the way, this would never be allowed in Canada, I think Canada has a law against expressing *this* particular "opinion."

Anyhow, freedom of speech is not absolute and, for example, you can easily get arrested in the US for drinking beer on the street, girls walking topless, or wearing an "obscene" T-shirt...

yes canadian laws against hate crimes

quote:

Originally posted by ahlamalek yes canadian laws against hate crimes

But there's no crime occurring, they're just expressing their silly belief that white's are superior to blacks.

Personally I'm glad that the ACLU fights for everybody's (even the kkk's) rights to express their beliefs as long as it doesn't infringe upon anybody else's rights.

quote:

Originally posted by XeroREVERSION I was under the impression that "freedom of speech" meant you could talk freely/publish freely as long as it didn't violate somebody else's rights or it was false speech or print such as libel or slander. I could be wrong though, but that's what I remember from my high school government class.

I like ur definition
Personally i don't think there's such a thing as 'free speech' per se ie being an absolute right. That's because ethics plays a large part in this. Ppl should be able to express themselves as they like but at the same time ppl also should be able to live free of fear, etc for society to function in harmony (?hmmm maybe a naive unachievable aspiration for utopia)... but the point being there's a limit to everything and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Yes, there are consequences for everything including saying what we like and when we like, just as long as we are ready to take those consequences and not utilise the argument of an absolute right to freedom of speech as an excuse. That would be wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by occrider But there's no crime occurring, they're just expressing their silly belief that white's are superior to blacks. Personally I'm glad that the ACLU fights for everybody's (even the kkk's) rights to express their beliefs as long as it doesn't infringe upon anybody else's rights.

i was just stating the law's name...

What happened with those Dixie Chicks recently with their comments about George Bush? Apparently their music was taken off the radio in several US states, and they were threatened with violence etc etc etc...
But anyway, seeing this, i think that this is where we have lost our freedom of speech.. i mean, cant people take a little light critisism anymore?? Are we that closed minded that we cannot accept anyones opinion who is different to our own.. Are we so arrogant to believe that our own opinions are always right??

Oh, another point. Anthony Mudine (an australian boxer) said, about the sept 11 attacks, that the US had brought this terror on themselves. I mean, he didnt go out and say they DESERVED it, he just expressed his opinion on the issue(which may be right or wrong, but that's not the point). Anyway, by simply stating his opinion the American boxing federation had banned him from fighting any fights in the US.. this means he has less chance of gaining his world title.. Now why do people have to bring these issues down to a personal level?
We are all entitled to express our opinoins, within reason, and we are all entitled to receive due critisism, but things are just getting out of hand.

I think that when the authors of the First Amendment wrote it, they envisioned a time where things would be more peaceful, and the Freedom of Speech would not be abused (ex: KK and neo-nazi rallys like occrider said)

^Yeah, some people in America really do not deserve the freedom of speech

quote:

Originally posted by Dupz What happened with those Dixie Chicks recently with their comments about George Bush? Apparently their music was taken off the radio in several US states, and they were threatened with violence etc etc etc... But anyway, seeing this, i think that this is where we have lost our freedom of speech.. i mean, cant people take a little light critisism anymore?? Are we that closed minded that we cannot accept anyones opinion who is different to our own.. Are we so arrogant to believe that our own opinions are always right?? Oh, another point. Anthony Mudine (an australian boxer) said, about the sept 11 attacks, that the US had brought this terror on themselves. I mean, he didnt go out and say they DESERVED it, he just expressed his opinion on the issue(which may be right or wrong, but that's not the point). Anyway, by simply stating his opinion the American boxing federation had banned him from fighting any fights in the US.. this means he has less chance of gaining his world title.. Now why do people have to bring these issues down to a personal level? We are all entitled to express our opinoins, within reason, and we are all entitled to receive due critisism, but things are just getting out of hand.

see thats whats pointless about the american concept of freedom of speech. You cant lose it, especially if its an inalienable right! Its plainly obivous what real freedom of speech is when such things like this happen where people are persecuted. I think we have a very jaded sense of justice if we believe people should be protected for anything they say.

quote:

Originally posted by trancedfarmer see thats whats pointless about the american concept of freedom of speech. You cant lose it, especially if its an inalienable right! Its plainly obivous what real freedom of speech is when such things like this happen where people are persecuted. I think we have a very jaded sense of justice if we believe people should be protected for anything they say.

I still don't see how it's pointless. It's as protected as the framers of the constitution intended it to be. But as much as people before said, there are boundaries to everything. You may say anything you wish to say with freedom from imprisonment, but with it comes the understanding that what you say may have repurcussions beyond imprisonment. For example regarding the dixie chicks ... they have every right to voice opposition to whatever they want, but then their fans have every right to be outraged by what they say and boycott their music. If I go down to the slums of DC and start shouting out racial slurs and get my ass kicked, does that mean that I can say free speech is pointless and nonexistent? No. It's protected where it matters ... I can start up any political party, I can make any political statement I want, I can publish anything I want, and I can protest anything I want to. If somebody tries to fire me for my beliefs I can sue their asses off and get rich. If the gov't tries to put me in jail for my beliefs alone I can sue their asses off and get rich. Our court system is more or less structured to behave as if the 1st amendment is the word of God himself. That's why the KKK, the blank panthers, Nambla, and whoever else can frolic around with impunity.

Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright © 2000-2021, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.