Professor Michael De Cesare
English 110
26 November 2011
Freedom of Speech Our first amendment right has been one of the most controversial debates in the US for as long as I can remember. Many people have questioned whether our right to Freedom of Speech should be limited in some form while others believe there should be no limits. It is undeniable that this debate will constantly be revisited in the future as it is now in our present. The questions we must ask ourselves are, when is Freedom of Speech helpful and when is it harmful to society. I’m sure that the majority of debates regarding Freedom of Speech lean towards the positive and negative effects of that given right. Our right to Freedom of Speech is one of the main amendments that make us different from nations of long ago. To think that in past times a ruler could simply put a man or woman to death for simply disagreeing with his sovereign. Freedom of Speech allows people to communicate and share ideas freely. In this day it allows for the reporting of events in our nation and across the globe as well as sharing information over the internet. The ability to freely speak ones thoughts to others is what allows us to share our knowledge or opinions with another so that they may learn. As they learn they may form their own opinions and further it along with concepts of their own. A simple idea shared by one freely can turn into a monumental achievement by a group of peers who learn of it.
There are also situations in which Freedom of speech can and is harmful to Society. For example; we are currently in a state of war, is it right for reporters to communicate certain details like the location of a Military branch in hostile territory? Such knowledge would ultimately alert an enemy of where to attack costing the lives of many soldiers. Is it right to use your first amendment right to ridicule or harass another individual? Personally, I’m inclined in cases such as this to agree with placing certain limitations to freedom of Speech. However, logically I do not think Freedom of Speech is truly free if limitations are placed on it. What’s to stop more limitations from being enforced as well once they have applied some?
What if one was not allowed to express his own thoughts or opinions on any given circumstance? It would surely effect the growth of a nation in many ways than one. We would not know what happens daily in our nation or nations abroad. People would not share their own ideas in science or any other matter for fear of prosecution. In many ways people would not prosper as they should. They would not gain knowledge or surpass their four fathers. Freedom of Speech is a foundation in which this nation thrives.
Overall I believe that our freedom of Speech should not have any limits. It is the responsibility of the individual to use that right appropriately. People should not abuse that in any form by causing harmful situations to occur. Though common sense isn’t always common it should be used more often when dealing with our right to Freedom of Speech. Otherwise more and more limitations will be placed on Freedom of Speech until we no longer have the right to it at all.
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