Freedom of Speech Doesn’t Mean What You Think
It’s more complicated and not unlimited
Freedom of speech, like other freedoms, is not unlimited. As someone graphically put it “Your freedom to swing your fist ends at my nose”. In any orderly society freedoms need to be balanced against one another. We don’t live in isolation and our conduct affects more than just ourselves.
For instance, people are prohibited from yelling “fire!” in a crowded building — unless of course there really is a fire — because it would cause panic and could result in injuries or deaths. Speaking in a way to “incite a riot” is punishable by law because words have consequences.
Libel and slander are against the law and restrict writing and speaking. There are guidelines — the thing(s) said must be false, knowingly false, and be delivered in a way to damage someone’s reputation purposefully. This must be proven in a court of law and the more public a figure the more proof must be provided.
Harassment, sexual or otherwise, and bullying are not covered under freedom of speech. And the guarantees against restriction of speech are only applicable to governmental action. The First Amendment states that it is the government (at any level) that is prohibited from passing any law restricting freedom of speech. A private institution, such as a…
