Freedom of Speech vs Censorship Essays - 1231 Words

We are blessed to live in a country that has many rights, the most important is the freedom of speech which provides an umbrella of protection over our remaining rights; however, all of our rights are under attack beginning with the First Amendment which is under constant assault by censorship. The Constitution of the United States says that â€Å"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.† Censorship as defined by Wikipedia is â€Å"the suppression of speech or deletion of communicative material which†¦show more content†¦There is no need for the Government to pass a law that imprisons us or levies a fine against us to keep us from uttering these words or phrases. Proponents of censorship seem to believe that they alone can determine what is and isn’t offensive to everyone. They believe that their own freedom of speech will remain intact when they have successfully silenced those that they oppose. They don’t seem to understand that once one group’s rights are taken away, we are all subject to loss of our constitutional right to speak and think freely. As per Webster’s dictionary Abridging is defined as follows: â€Å"In law it signifies particularly the making of a declaration or count shorter, by taking or severing away some of the substance from it.† The Constitution guarantees us the right to Freedom of Speech. Nowhere in the First Amendment does it state that we have the right to freedom of speech as long as everyone agrees with us and likes what we say. Quite the contrary, it states that â€Å"Congress shall pass no laws abridging our right to freedom of speech.† Censorship does exactly that, severs away our right to freedom of speech. Censorship is Government telling us what we are to approve of and disapprove of. It is Government abridging our right to freedom of speech. Censorship takes many forms in our society today. First it takes the form of political correctness. The purposeShow MoreRelatedFreedom of Speech vs. Censorship on the Internet2126 Words   |  9 PagesFreedom of Speech Vs. Censorship: Children on the Internet The internet is a very controversial communication device in today’s society. If desired, one could find information on nearly any topic they choose. Censorship and free speech is a widely discussed topic when dealing with the current freedom of the internet especially when dealing with young minds. Should the internet have censored topics which would be illegal to post and/or view freely by children? Should the internet be a free-for-allRead MoreGovernments Censoring Internet Content1490 Words   |  6 Pagesachieve throughout years. Freedom of speech and equity is what people have always needed and are willing to fight for no matter what. As long as government tries to do the opposite, then there would be conflicts and disappointments among population. The Internet is a free domain as it should remain as such. Therefore, it can be argued that governments should not censor Internet content within their borders. The opponents of censoring Internet say that freedom of speech is the fundamental right toRead MoreThe Amendment Of The United States Constitution833 Words   |  4 PagesThe right to express ones opinions without censorship or restraint can be considered as a basic provision enshrined in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. To elaborate, the first amendment to the constitution prohibit the legislative arm of government in making of any law abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press and prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances. Post this amendment, there have been several cases where the SupremeRead MoreThe Issue of Free Speech Versus Censorship690 Words   |  3 PagesIn modern society, the issue of free speech vs. censorship often comes up. It is a hot topic among those interested in social issues, and represents two well meaning but very different arguments. The argument for freedom of speech says that co mmunication and connectivity promotes progress, while the argument for censorship says that silence and isolation promotes security. Freedom of speech usually refers to a citizens right to the expression and distribution of their opinions. The UniversalRead MoreEssay Arguing the Opposition of Censorship867 Words   |  4 PagesArguing the opposition of Censorship For centuries, government nations and society have been withholding certain pieces of information from the public to ensure safety and prevent catastrophic out bursts; this detainment of public knowledge is called censoring. Censorship started in the early twentieth century, when profane literature began to surface in the wake of World War I; ever since then its been a normal part of all society. Without the use of censorship and the methods used to sustain informationRead MoreDeconstruction Of Online Realities : Why They Censored And Western Philosophy Of Ethics1330 Words   |  6 PagesName: Student Number: Course Name: Professor Name: Date: Deconstruction of Online Realities: Why They Censored and Western Philosophy of Ethics in Regards to Freedom of Expression This essay will thoroughly discuss the censorship and fundamental rights to Canadian and American Freedom of Speech. Ethics is philosophy. The Greek philosopher Pluto whose discussion was of image and reality and the way his standpoint was related into triggering the long-running dispute between those who championRead More The Controversy Over Internet Censorship Essay1152 Words   |  5 PagesThe Controversy Over Internet Censorship   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For many people, using the Internet has become practically a new way of life, especially for college students and the like.   Various types of information can be accessed at the touch of a button: anything from encyclopedias, to surveys and essays, to articles from magazines, and adult sites.   Anyone who pays for their Internet service is usually offered space for his or her own web page, and even many free services provide space for personal webRead MoreEssay about Should Art Be Censored?990 Words   |  4 Pagesaround the world, including America, are being tormented and silenced for their freedom of expression? It sounds a little strange to think that in the twenty-first century a human can still be suppressed from expressing itself however it wants. A slender yet plentiful amount of artists to this day feel like they are left in the pouring rain when everyone is protected by the government’s umbrella of freedom of speech. Art whether we know it or no t is found all around us. In the music we hear, in theRead More Free Speech Essay809 Words   |  4 Pagesabridging 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 grievancesquot; (Funk amp; Wagnalls 162). This Amendment guarantees each person of free speech. Does this mean that a person can stand in the middle of the street and yell anything he wants? No, society, even though it cherishes freedom of speech, does give this freedom certain restrictions. Why does society find it necessary to restrict freedom of speechRead MoreEssay on Censorship in Schools is not Justifiable959 Words   |  4 PagesCensorship in School is Not Justifiable Walt Whitman once said, â€Å"The dirtiest book of all is the expurgated book.† Between the years 2000 and 2009 a total of 3200 books were challenged in school libraries in an attempt to expurgate, or censor, the content in books provided to students. Today the trend of censorship continues as popular novels such as The Hunger Games, The Fault in Our Stars, and Captain Underpants are censored from schools across the nation (Challenges by Reason).Censorship in regards