Does the First Amendment protect your right to say anything you want?

[Jack T.]

*sigh* You most certainly can yell FIRE in a crowded theater. . .you may be morally obligated to yell that if there is actually a fire.

What you cannot do is use the cover of "free speech" to harm others: slander, libel, or yelling FIRE in a theater.

 

[hard_r]

The point I was making in the other thread was how terrified I am that some of you are willing to assault someone for saying certain words in a certain order. What kind of person makes that leap? You said some stuff, now I'm going to beat you? Barbaric! Why not just walk away? How weak of a person you have to be to assault a man for saying words. I guess it's a skill I picked up from growing up fat. If I had fought everyone who said things I didn't like, I'd have been kicked out of school. Words do not harm physically, so why would you retaliate physically?

 

[TwoForFlinching]

Go home thread!!! You are drunk!!!

 

[recon279]

i think were beating a dead horse lol

 

[Lurker66]

The point I was making in the other thread was how terrified I am that some of you are willing to assault someone for saying certain words in a certain order. What kind of person makes that leap? You said some stuff, now I'm going to beat you? Barbaric! Why not just walk away? How weak of a person you have to be to assault a man for saying words. I guess it's a skill I picked up from growing up fat. If I had fought everyone who said things I didn't like, I'd have been kicked out of school. Words do not harm physically, so why would you retaliate physically?

the answer to your last sentence/question is; whether you harm a person physically or mentally you still harmed them. If a person walks into your house because the doors open doesnt mean you have to ask them to leave, you could snatch em and toss em out.

 

[recon279]

and i would do the same. but im a wolf most folks are sheep lol

 

[okwarren]

No, the first amendment does NOT protect your right to say anything you want.

CONGRESS shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

There. That should settle any debates about it. It protects you from being silenced by Congress. It does not protect you from being arrested because you yelled "Fire!" or any other absurd situation in which you failed to STFU.

 

[aeropb]

almost

 

[AKguy1985]

No it does not. Sorry but it is the truth. You can't get onto a plane and yell "I have a bomb" in mid-flight. You'll get arrested when you land. You can't always say what you want when the urge strikes. Freedom of speech is only free when it doesn't insight panic, or create the potential for harm to someone else.

This is my thoughts. Cant go in a theatre and yell fire. And its definately not smart to be talking about a shooting really loudly in a bookstore.

My job put out a memo after the election saying not to talk about your opinions and keep them to yourself. One of my coworkers got suspended because that memo didnt go over well with him.

 

[Gideon]

Rights exist eternally outside of the realm of human control. They aren't things that are "allowed" or "disallowed", because they exist above the plane of government.

I can say ANYTHING I want, but you can also react in whatever way you choose.

I can say fire in a crowded theater, and if it is illegal I can be punished for doing something unlawful. That still doesn't prevent me from doing it.
Repercussions for an action do not constitute "prevention", laws cannot be preventative.