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                           "How Free is Free Speech?"
                                      by:
                                   álue áalls
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           The question about limitations on rights seems to always
        arise...therefore it is no surprise that I bring up a rather old 
        question and come up with some new answers.  Free speech has 
        always been a right that Americans were proud of, something that 
        all humans should have, being the right to say anything without the 
        fear of persecution.  Unfortunately even in the U.S. there are 
        limitations or restrictions that blatantly conflict with freedom 
        of speech.
        
           In the U.S. Bill of Rights it clearly states that "Congress
        shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or 
        prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom 
        of speech."  In another document it says that no person can 
        publicly or privately threaten the President of the United 
        States.  Is it just me or is there a slight conflict between the 
        two statements above?  It isn't that I believe that anyone 
        should go and threaten the President, but I have always believed 
        that the highest power of law in America was not the judicial 
        system, but in fact the U.S. Bill of Rights and the U.S. 
        Constitution.  Wouldn't the act of taking away the right to speak 
        badly of the President abridge the freedom of speech?  I think so 
        and I know others do also.  If I threatened the common person I 
        couldn't be arrested unless there was probable cause yet I could be 
        arrested for threatening the President even if I was joking about 
        it and there was no probable cause.  The first amendment basically 
        says that the freedom of speech can not be changed in any way 
        therefore this law should be removed.
        
           Other laws such as the law that states it is illegal to offend
        an officer of the law should also be addressed.  If I went up to 
        a cop and called him a piece of shit I can legitimately be 
        arrested.  Isn't that an obvious form of freedom of speech?  As 
        an American that supposedly has all of those wonderful rights 
        written up in the U.S. Constitution I should be able to go up to 
        a cop and voice my opinion about him.
        
           On June 21, 1989 the Supreme Court ruled that burning an
        American Flag is a form of free speech, and although some people 
        may not approve of it they can't do shit about it because of the 
        first ammendment in the U.S. Bill of Rights.  If burning a U.S. 
        flag can be considered perfectly legal then why are making a 
        threat to the president or offending an officer illegal?
        
           How the hell do these laws get passed if they infringe on the
        rights guarantied on the rights guarentied by the U.S. 
        Constitution?  Thank Congress for passing these laws.  Congress 
        has the power to make and pass laws, but the President has to 
        approve them.  Even if the President does veto the law congress 
        can still pass it with a 2/3 majority vote.  The question is why 
        would 2/3 of Congress vote for an unconstitutional law, well the 
        answer is money.  Congress has been corrupt for a long time and 
        with corruption comes greed.  So if someone wants a law passed 
        it can usually get passed if they have enough support and money.
        
           The government has gone too far.  In 1776 or incredible document
        was created that guarentied any U.S. citizen a proper government 
        that allowed many freedoms.  Now the government works hard to  
        try to change the past and so far I think they have succeeded.  
        Since the mid 1900s Congress has slowly made new laws that take 
        away some of the rights that all Americans are entitled to 
        according to the Constitution.  These new laws put limitations 
        and restrictions on our rights.  Are we going to stand for this 
        shit?  I hope not because if we are as passive as we've been in 
        the past we are going to end up with no rights or freedoms.  The 
        government will transform into a communist system.  You have the 
        power to change the future so be prepared to fight for your 
        rights.
        
          

                               álue áalls