Does Free Speech Go Too Far? -- Essays Papers

Does Free Speech Go Too Far? immunity of speech is perhaps the most important right that we have in the United States of America. The first amendment of the Constitution gives everyone in the country the right to press out their opinions as they see fit. Without this right, blacks capacity not have been afforded the opportunity to take racial equality. While this is one of the ideas that this country is founded on, at times it seems to go to far. When a group spreading hatred and prejudice wants to exercise their bear right to free speech, many people have a fuss with it. Free speech cannot just be for those who you agree with, it has to be for everyone. As I have seen firsthand, when the representative speaking out preaches intolerance, the true voice of the people will overcome. The First Amendment to the Constitution states Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the immunity o f speech, or of the press or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to request the government for a redress of grievances (Rights). Without these words, the civil rights movement of the 1960s might not have proved successful. Using non-violent resistance such as touches, boycotts, and sit-ins, the discrimination was fought. In many places, people tried to block the African-Americans freedoms. One example of this was on May 3, 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. The police used dogs and high-pressure water hoses on the demonstrators, as well as arresting 4,000 people during a few days of demonstrations (Mayer). As they fought on, African-Americans were subject to fight the good fight, and were successful in gaining their civil rights. Yet... ...-filled voices, the very march that I took place in proved that there are lifelike checks for those voices. The first amendment is there for those people whose voices might not otherwise be heard. Hopefully when the voice of the minority is that of prejudice, the greater, and righteous voice will overcome. plant CitedBill of Rights Thomas Historical Documents. http//lcweb2.loc.gov/const/bor.html (30 November 2000).Herchel, Rabbi Jaffe. Personal Interview. 30 Nov. 2000.Mayer, Kurt Albert. From Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation to Martin LutherKings Dream of Being Free at Last African Americans and their Drawn-Out Struggle for Civil Rights, http//mailbox.univie.ac.at/mayerk3/Civilrights.htm (30 November 2000).Strum, Phillip. Human Rights organisation in Civil Society, http//www.civiced.org/schwerin_strum.html (30 November 2000).