MariaFlores

FreeSpeech
TheUnitedStatesisacountrythatpridesitselfonitsfreedom.Allovertheworld,for
worseorforbetter,theUnitedStatesisseenasacountrythatisanembodimentofthetheirFirst
Amendment.Therehavebeeninstancesallofthecountryformanyyearswherepeoplehave
beenpushingtheboundariesoftheirfreedomandincitedactsthathaveinsultedorthreatened
others.Theyclaimfreespeechandsometimestheyareabletobepunishedandothertimes,not
somuch.TheUnitedStatesdoeshaveanaffiliationwiththeUniversalDeclarationofHuman
Rights.Withthistheydefendtherightsoffreedomofexpressionandopinionbutdonotsupport
insultingoroffensivespeech(Humanrights.gov).However,ittakesawhilefortheUnitedStates
tomakeadecisiononwhetherornottheactionisoffensiveoraformofexpression.Duetothe
factthatothersmaybeimpactedheavilybyotherswords,thereshouldbelimitsonfreespeech
inAmerica.
Manypeopleseemtobeconcernedifhatespeechisfreespeech.In1977inSkokie,
Illinois,therewasagroupofpeoplewhobelievedthatitwasoktoholdthemarchtosupportthe
Nazis.Theproblemwiththisisthatthosewhowereoffendedbythisrepresentationofpridefor
theholocaustconsideredithatespeech.Seeingashowthisaformoffreespeech,thosewho
foundoffensetoitcouldnotendit.Somearguethatevenifitmaycausediscomfort,itisthe
pricetopayforafreesociety(Simon).Otherbelieves,thatthismarchispsychicassaultonthe
Jewsofskokie(Simon)andinthatcase,itisnotprotectedbythefirstamendmentanditshould
notbeprotected.

Incasesmorerecentinvolvingthefirstamendment,peoplehavesometimesmadethe
conclusionthattheinternethasopenedthetoeveryandallformsofexpression(TheNewYork
Times).TheTimesgoesontosaythatitisdifficulttodrawalinebetweenhatespeechand
violentspeech.Ifthatmaybethecase,thenhowaretherelawslimitingfreespeechtoprotect
othersfromgettingcyberbullied.AccordingtotheNationalConferenceofStateLegislatures,
AlabamaHouseBill216allowsthepreventionofharassmentofonestudentagainstanother
student,providesthattherightoffreedomofspeechwouldnotbeabridged(Ncsl.org).If
freedomofspeechcanbelimitedinschoolstoprotectothers,whycanitnotbelimitedoutside
oftheclassroom?Studentsinschoolsarenottheonlyoneswhoneedprotectionfromthreatsor
hatefulspeechonline.
Inthecomingyearstherehavebeencountlessexamplesonpushingtheboundariesof
freespeechhowever,thecontroversyovertheconfederateflagisoneissuethatbroughtthis
debatetolife.Somesaythattheflagisasymboloftheirprideandculture,whileotherswould
arguethattheflagisveryraciallyconnectedandrepresentsaformofhatetoaspecificrace
(Henderson).Thisisanexamplewhereitisdifficulttodistinguishbetweenhatespeechanda
wayofrepresentingculture.However,whentheflagisusedasanexcuseforaraciallymotivated
crime,thatiswhenactionhappens.
Thestigmaofthosewhosupporttheconfederateflagaresouthernwhitesupremacists
whoanticipatethereturnofslavery.Whitemaleshavealwaysbeenthemajorityvoiceinthis
countryanditseemsasthoughwhensomeonewhodoesnotfitthatdescriptioncomesintoplay,
theygetoffended.InfactmanywhiteAmericanswouldagreethatitisoktosayoffensivethings
aboutaminoritygroupinpublic(Poushter).Mostlikelyduetothewhiteracebeingthe

dominantrace,theydonotseeanyharminwhattheyaresaying.Comparedtoothercountries,
Americaisoneofthefewwhoareprofreespeechwithtwothirdsormoresayingstatements
thatareoffensivetotherespondentsreligion(77%)andminoritygroups(67%)areOK
(Poushter).
Intheendtheactualityoflimitingfreespeechandnotisalwaysgoingtobeanissue.The
factisthatsomethingsaregoingtobeabletobesaidandotherthingswillnotbe.Peoplewho
aresayingoffensivethingsshouldbeeducatedonhowspeechcanaffectothersanditisupto
themtomaketherightdecision.ItisagreatthingthatAmericahasthefreedomofspeechbut
peopleshouldnotbeabletoabusethatpower.Theyshouldknowwhenspeechisoffensiveand
whenitisappropriatetospeak.

References

Henderson,Malika."InsideTheBattleOverTheConfederateFlagCnnpolitics.Com".CNN.N.p.,2015.
Web.15Dec.2015.

Humanrights.gov,."Issues:FreedomOfExpression|Humanrights.GovIsTheOfficialUnitedStates
GovernmentWebsiteForInternationalHumanRightsRelatedInformation".N.p.,2015.Web.15
Dec.2015.

Ncsl.org,."Cyberbullying".N.p.,2015.Web.15Dec.2015.

Poushter,Jacob."WhereTheWorldSeesLimitsToFreeSpeech".PewResearchCenter.N.p.,2015.
Web.15Dec.2015.

Simon,Roger."AnotherSideOfTheNaziRightsIssue".TheChicagoSunTimes.N.p.,1977.Print.

TheNewYorkTimes,."CharlieHebdoAndFreeExpression".2015:n.pag.Print.