How can someone get in trouble for saying something racist or offensive with freedom of speech?

Posted on February 7th, 2010 by admin

I mean doesn’t the Constitution give right to free speech? Just free speech? It doesn’t say "free speech unless someone gets upset" I mean isn’t a right? Doesn’t freedom come with a price? I mean I believe it is ignorant and no one should make distasteful jokes but isn’t it the right of the person weather they can tell the joke or not and not fear getting in trouble for it? If we start controlling and making people fear now what they say, what extremes can it be brought to in the future?

We also have The freedom of the press.
The freedom of assembly.
The freedom to bare arms.
Slowly we are losing the things our ForeFathers laid planned for us.
The nativity scene isn’t allowed to be displayed at the court house
anymore and that’s been several years ago.
How many more things can anyone think of what has been taken.
This practice has been going on for a long time.People just close their eyes.
It’s my business that I smoke.
I enjoy a well deserved cigarette while having my beer.
The freedom of assembly w/cigarette in hand is a no no.
So you see,slowly we are losing our rights.
Speeches are still allowed as long as you have a permit and without
disturbing the peace or what ever it is they say.
I’m tired.

14 Responses

  1. Founders Says:

    A line has to be drawn between free speech and verbal abuse. Words can be used in ways that hinder other people’s freedoms, so there has to be a trade-off.
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  2. Sophie Says:

    Well said. Protest the government if they attempt to make hate speech laws like they have in Europe. And sadly, they’re already using our hate crime laws to include speech and minor actions. It’s the end of free speech if we accept it.

    The KKK was exposed with free speech and marginalized. The fall of the KKK is actually a celebration of free speech and you liberals trash that ideology. It just delusional that libs don’t understand what freedom does for a country. I certainly hope the Iraqis understand the benefit of freedom more than our liberals do.
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  3. William F Says:

    You are right.
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  4. Rich B Says:

    If you’re a liberal you misspoke if not you’re a racist
    References :

  5. Wooglet Voot Says:

    That is why the KKK was allowed to exist. But such speech is regulated, and the government or even property ownes can say you cannot say racist things. Even virtual property like YA.
    References :

  6. Justin Says:

    Inciting hatred and violence is illegal.
    So is speech that causes panic. Look up Schenck v United States.
    References :

  7. J.C. P Says:

    The Constitution protects us from government intrusion onto our freedoms. Free speech is great but saying something stupid, unkind, hurtful or distasteful has negative consequences.

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  8. tz51548 Says:

    No freedoms are absolute. Also, just because some speech may not subject you to legal consequences, it does not mean that a given website can’t establish its own standard for what will be tolerated.
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  9. leopardlady Says:

    Depends on what you mean by "gettin in trouble."

    Freedom of Speech doesn’t mean I don’t have a right to protest what you say.

    The makers of BrokeBack Mountain had a right to make that movie. And the protesters had a right to protest the movie.

    The Dixie Chicks had a right to say what they said. But their fans had a right to stop being fans & reject their music becuase of their disgust with what they Dixie Chicks said.

    There is a man who ‘got in trouble’ with me over his racist remarks, so he is not welcome in my house anymore. Are you going to tell me I am denying him Freedom of speech to not have him over?

    Freedom of Speech goes both ways.
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  10. GJL Says:

    Why can’t you yell "Fire" in a crowded theater? Isn’t that a denial of your freedom of speech?

    Think about the difference between speech and signaling. In signaling, you are using words to effect an emotional or instinctual reaction. Now if there was a fire in the theater, you definitely could yell "fire"; in fact you should. You are informing people of a real fact. If you yell fire when there is no fire, you are attempting to evoke a signal response for the sake of getting the response (probably for your own amusement.)

    Likewise when you use racist or hate speech, you are not attempting to inform or persuade, you are merely trying to get a signal response (anger, fear). Just like we prevent people from signaling inappropriately about non-existent fires, we try to stop people from signaling inappropriately about race, color, etc.
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  11. IAAW Says:

    You are right. Why should anyone get in trouble for racist jokes, while no one gets in trouble for making sexist jokes and lies about Hillary Clinton and Sara Palin?

    I know why. Because there are a lot of hypocrites in America.
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  12. Amy doesn't like Obama Says:

    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. If its a problem for those who may interpret it as racist or whatever, then thats their problem.
    References :

  13. Drnkn. Lncln. Says:

    We also have The freedom of the press.
    The freedom of assembly.
    The freedom to bare arms.
    Slowly we are losing the things our ForeFathers laid planned for us.
    The nativity scene isn’t allowed to be displayed at the court house
    anymore and that’s been several years ago.
    How many more things can anyone think of what has been taken.
    This practice has been going on for a long time.People just close their eyes.
    It’s my business that I smoke.
    I enjoy a well deserved cigarette while having my beer.
    The freedom of assembly w/cigarette in hand is a no no.
    So you see,slowly we are losing our rights.
    Speeches are still allowed as long as you have a permit and without
    disturbing the peace or what ever it is they say.
    I’m tired.
    References :

  14. Jerry S Says:

    free will, you are very young, even back in the 1970,s politicians
    got in trouble for making racist remarks or jokes.
    the freedom of speech only goes so far.
    References :

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