Do I have the Constitutional right to offend you?

Answer 1

at the risk of sounding like a nerdy, lawyer chick....yes, you have a right to offend me...but only until the point where your offensive conduct becomes a criminal action. for example, it's offensive for you to give me the finger as i walk past you, but not against the law. it's your right to walk around flicking people off. but if you give me the finger, and call me a dumb, black bytch, point your finger a half inch in my face, and act like you are about to poke me in the eye....then that's criminal offense! that's assault. so there's a difference.

Answer 2

Yes you do, but it depends on the situation in according to American society, and our legal system. You do not have the right to offend people at work.
But our first amendment rights have been badly distorted by Communist subversives to the point that nobody really understands why we have the first Amendment. The first Amendment isn't some right to offend people or put up porn on the web. It's meant do help defend our other rights. We can use our freedom of speech to talk about political issues, or expose crooked politicians. It was added to our Constition, because various "hand bills" or newspapers were banned by the British Empire, so we rebelled against that Empire and made it part of our Consitution. The right was considered a right given by God (or Nature), the Constition just reckognized that right. But we have the freedom to express ourselves which includes offending people, but it's morally wrong to offend people sometimes. It depends on what you are talking about.

Answer 3

No. I'm not easily offended, so anything you do that's offensive to me is sure to be criminal.

If you are talking free speech, remember other people rights too. You can say something offensive if you like, and people can feel free to shun you, correct you, kick you off thier property, or say offensive things back (though this is turning one wrong person into two wrong people).

Answer 4

exactly what kiki said --- but any thing you say too offend me could be construed as trying to provoke violence and therefore you wouldnt be able to get away with it ---we are supposed to have all of these freedoms of speech but because we are human and soo many take offense to any number of things these freedoms are limited.
so as not too cause any public disturbances or violence, which often happens when you offend some one,especially in this era soo go ahead and offend away but if someone takes a swing at you his defence can be that you provoked him.

Answer 5

Like everything else, "it depends".

Your right to be free of a lawsuit for libel is greater if your target is a public figure: New York Times v. Sullivan:
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=376&invol=254

You may justify your target's physical attack if the words you speak are "fighting words" (a term of art in law). And given the recent Florida law allowing people to shoot to kill without warning if they are in fear, being offensive may be dangerous to your health.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/25/AR2005042501553.html

Answer 6

No, you don't have the right to do so, but you do have the right to be protected from persecution for doing so. Remember, constitutional
and legal rights must be specified, not inferred. Just because you can't be persecuted for it, doesn't make it your right.

But, I do have the God given right to not take offense, which is a higher law, indeed.

Answer 7

Yep! Thank the powers for the first amendment! Tell that to the politically correct jackasses.

Answer 8

No, you have the right to free speech as long as it doesn't incite violence or physically endanger people like yelling fire in a crowded theater.

Answer 9

go ahead...offend me all u want. but just know that i will offend u right back even worse. especially if u are republican.

Answer 10

Freedom of speech covers you except for: trying to incite violence or panic, slander, and obscenity.