Freedom of speech!

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CKONE

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From what I know of America, which isnt much to be honest, there is a definite importance placed on freedom of speech. Does that extend to freedom of expression in the written form?

Is it considered that people will make their own judgement on what they hear or see and are then able to either choose to act on it or not?
 
The freedom of expression does extend to the written form. The Court has consistently, if not in every single case, come down on that side. However, it is a fragile right, capable of being chipped away at. The Supreme Court has immense power and it is in the realm of possiblity that some day those rights could be severely limited. But yes, at this point, we have broad legal freedom of expression.

That, however, does not mean that it is a fully exercised freedom.
The media and the newspapers censor themselves daily for a variety of reasons and I would guess that Americans are no better informed (and possibly less so) than many other countries.

It is probably more considered that people will make their judgments based on whatever coloring the particular medium (including print) uses to paint the picture, lol. It appears more and more Americans are going outside of American media and press to get a more complete picture. Doesn't mean they are getting the complete picture elsewhere, just that they are getting details we are often not given here.

I would also hazard a guess that this is a right valued more in spirit than in reality by many Americans.
 
Thanks for that BS.

I must admit myself to be an advocate for freedom of speech as long as there is no malice, hatred, fraud or deception in that free speech. I suppose though as soon as you add in a 'as long as' or 'excluding' then the waters start to get murkey.
 
Too right it gets murkey, freedom of speech should be unlimited, the only reasonable exceptions are incitement to violence, threats of violence and violating a legally binding privacy agreement.

Free speech can only exist at the margins, if you don't have dangerous speech then you don't have free speech.
 
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