Do we still have freedom of speech?

Question

maybe we have freedom to talk trash about the government, but i think that is it.... you can get sued for saying things, you can loose your job for saying things, and you can definatly get the crap beat out of you for saying things.....

i just found out there are illegal questions in job interviews, such as, "how old are you" or "are you a u.s. citizeen"

wtf man, we can´t even ask some basic questions, can´t express our opionons, we don´t have freedom of speech anymore.

what can we do about it?

Answer 1

What you fail to understand is that there are consequences for words just as there are consequences for actions.

Read the First Ammendment. What is the very first word? CONGRESS.

You can say pretty much what you want and not go to jail. Pretty much. There are some examples that will get you sent to jail, but not very many in the general scheme of things.

Take Imus. Did he get charged with a crime? No. Was he taken into custody then later released? No. Did Imus get fined by the government? No. The FCC even said that they had no jurisdiction in that case. However, there is NOTHING in the Constitution that says the CBS shall make no policy nor fire someone for saying ignorant things. Nor is there anything in the Constitution that states that General Electric shall not terminate a contract with a person who has a history of running off at the mouth and finally piled on the last straw.

Freedom of speech comes from people being thrown in jail for saying ill things about the British Crown. It followed to this country, and the Constitution addressed it with the Bill of Rights.

You have the right to say nearly anything you want to. However, no one, and I mean NO ONE, is obligated to provide you with a means to relay that speech, nor support your speech. It's freedom OF speech, not speech for free.

Answer 2

Nothing....we have the same freedom of speech and probably more than when the 1st amendment was created. The first amendment was never created to stop private action...only to prevent government action against a person.

Are you really saying as a BurgerKing employee I can tell all my customers to go to McDonalds and my employer shouldn't be able to fire me? thats silly

And as far as job interviews those two questions are not illegal depending on the context....BurgerKing can ask age...they don't hire individuals restricted by child labor laws..usually 15 and below...and as for National Citizenship...some jobs that require citizenship such as the Military it is a valid question.

You have to understand what freedom of speech is before you think it is gone....it was never intended to protect you from everything while you just say whatever you want...there are reprocussions for anything...Your friends and neighbors have the right to get upset...your boss has the right to protect his company....there have been no examples of someone's freedom of speech being trampled upon...I have seen no arrests for someone using there constitutionally protected speech.

Even today...as long as its not child porn you can have as much porn as you want in the privacy of your home...you can bash Bush and the government as much as you want as long as you don't make a specific threat....the KKK , the Neo Nazi's and the Aryan nation can legally march down my street screaming messages of hate as long as they get the proper permits and city approvals....the Westboro Baptist Church can protest at soldiers funerals....freedom of speech is stronger than ever.

Answer 3

Freedom of speech is only guaranteed in a public forum, not in a private one. Private entities can censor speech.

Answer 4

Yes we have Freedom of Speech, but the "Idea" is being
attacked all the time. Some things should be attacked, too.

Answer 5

you never did. big bad china huh? what's going to be our excuse for feeling superior now?

Answer 6

fight political correctness everywhere and anywhere it rears its ridiculous head!