Whatever happen to freedom of speech!?

Question

why is it we can't fight for what we believe in, if we can't say much, because of watching what we have say. what's up with that.

Answer 1

What utter nonsense. What you want is freedom to say whatever you want without consequences. That's a very different thing.
People using this kind of question to make political points against ANY administration are just silly, as some of your answers did. They are willing to undermine our country's reputation for political "points".
Truth is, we have free speech, and so do the people who respond to you, argue with you, disagree with you, and even insult you. If you are watching what you say, it's because you are too timid to say what you mean and stand by it.
You still have the freedom to do that, and that was all that was ever granted us in the first place.
People also have a right to respond to your speech.

Yahoo! Answers and other groups that provide a forum for you to speak get to add their own rules. Just because you use the forum does not mean you get the right to dictate what the rules of that forum are. They have the right, as owners of the site, to determine that. If they wanted to limit it to people who can talk only about pink dyed poodles without the participants using the letter "p", they could (not much of a market in that), and have the right to do so.

Someone loans you a soapbox, but they get to decide whether you use it, or get to take it away if you don't follow their rules.

HOWEVER, you are free to start your own website, your own newsletter, your own T.V. station, your own radio station, and you get to make the rules.

IF you did, would you want people coming with insults about you and your views, or spewing filth to insist that you had to spend your money so they could "speak freely"?

What nonsense. You have no right to ask that.

Answer 2

Freedom of speech is not untethered and not all speech is protected. You cannot go into a black church and start yelling racial slurs. You cannot make child pornography. You cannot shout fire in a crowded theater.

Plus, even though you do have the right to say things, people also have the right to respond to what you say and have the right not to listen. No one is obligated to repeat what you say either.

Your question is a bit vague so I am not sure if you are referring to political correctness or vulgarity. If you mean vulgar speech such as, "Why are things so f-ed up!" This can be done in the confines of certain places. It is generally not accepted in public venues because children can hear it and start repeating it. This interferes with parental rights.

As for PC, I do feel this is out of control. This stems from the judicial and lawyer side of things. You have trial lawyers and judges awarding settlements in frivolous cases to thank for that. The only recourse you have on this is to pay close attention to elections for judges. Also on Governors and the President, because these guys appoint the state and federal judges who will be there for life.

But even with the limitations we still have plenty of free speech. The fact that the KKK can still have public rallies, even though it is despicable to most, is a testament that free speech is still here. Just don't expect that people are going to jump on the bandwagon when it happens though.

Answer 3

YEAH...I FEEL YOUR PAIN, LIKE.

I read scurrilous Qs here about anal never-minds, assorted obscenities, firebrand criticism of this President, as if he was some kind of magician expected to come up with endless prodigies and miracles, plus anyone can say what they wnat about anyone, short of a libel suit if you step on the wrong foot.

Plus all the counterculture, and pornography and animal-human
marriage (*)...and on AD NAUSEAM.

And you, friend...

YOU ALLEGE THERE IS NO FREEDOM ?

Why America has been a nation of hell-raisers from it's start, and the ruckus has not quited down after 230 years yet.

Try Japan, try some Asian countries.

THEN we can talk.

(*) Oh yeah the animal-human marriage. You think it won't happen in our lifetime ?

Answer 4

Are you kidding me? Yes we are supposed to politically correct, that's so we don't hurt any ones feelings, but don't tell me that free speech is on the way out, there are people out there that put crosses in jars of ****, burn our flag, and protest at soldiers funerals, why don't you start listening to someone else other than a liberal.

Answer 5

We still have it u just have to look for it. i can still say what ever i want but just now there are consciences if u say something that offend then they have the right to try and shut u up if it goes to far then some one ends up in jail of u threaten the prez or another persons life u can still do it u just go to jail and rights come with consciences and rules wheter we like them or not

Answer 6

Thanks to Liberals, you only have the freedom of speech to agree on unlimited abortions, the gay and lesbian agenda, support for terrorists, and ban all speech that makes reference to God and Jesus, unless it is in reference to Allah, in which case they will allow it because it makes them feel tolerant.

That is how you get a valedictorian censored and a former Taliban member on scholarship at Yale.

Answer 7

What are you talking about? You can say any thing you want as long as you are not stepping on some other persons rights. You can not threaten some one or lie about some one other than Republicans then it is free game.

Answer 8

Considering you could be arrested and locked up indefinitely for sedition years ago, or accused of being a Communist, I would say we have made some progress.

Answer 9

Thank the ACLU. They're supposed to be making sure we keep our rights but they're making sure we don't offend anyone except Christians and caucasians.

Answer 10

Its been revoked by the Bush administration