49% of Americans think that the first amendment goes to far, according to poll

[newbie~wan]

REad the article here

I know these are tough times, but responses like this very clearly indicate that people don't even understand the basics of our political system and the ideals upon which it was founded. Education is in order. I feel schools are inadequately preparing kids to realize the importance of inalienable rights. I know I got graduated from high school w/ a 3.6 GPA and I didn't understand or care JACKSH*T about the bill of rights until I got into computers.

Amendment I
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.

Quite the contrary. I think the First Amendment to the Constitution is extremely broad and general. Without the First Amendment, this country would degenerate to the 1950s Soviet era or the fascist era of Italy/germany in early 20th century, where everyone lived in constant fear and the State had an overwhelming control and presence in the life of ordinary Joe Camel.

As I have posted in another thread earlier, The Constitution and Bill of Rights are fundamental, absolute and constant foundation on which this country has been built.

Change it and before you know it the society and life as we know it will crumble.

[Theophylact]

One should remember that the First Amendment only limits what the Government (or, by extension, Government-supported services like schools) can do. A private company, church, union, or non-profit organization can fire you in a second if you speak your piece. And the Government can certainly put the chill on speech without actually passing any laws to do so; if Dick Cheney or John Ashcroft says you're aiding the enemy by criticizing them, well, it's your ass on the line.

Most Americans believe in free speech -- for themselves, and people who think like them. The only free speech that has to be protected is unpopular speech, and that's always endangered.

[nomaxim]

Now that is a stupid article. Talk about a double standard. 49% of americans

think they should not have the right to think ? I say we play the game and ban that article.

P.S. I would like to see the poll's questions though.

[Epyon9283]

I can't belive that those people would be willing to give up freedoms so readily. Makes me sick. If our freedoms are further limited out of fear of terrorism, the terrorists have already won.

A private entity, by definition, cannot have an omni-presence and affect all citizens. They certainly can control those within their ambit of operation. That is not the same as the Government controlling citizens' right to free expression.

Secondly, I can certainly disagree with the Administration's actions/policies and while I may become unpopular I will not be "jailed" and neither will "my ass be on the line" unless I perform a treacherous act. For example, I think the US President G.W. Bush is going nuts in his personal vendetta against Saddam Hussain. He has lost touch with reality and the overall picture from 50,000 feet up. I also think the President is behaving in an impetuous way unbefitting for a Chief Executive. These are my personal views and I have expressed them in a public fora under Rights granted to me by the First Amendment.

This is what I mean. You have freedom of expression. In the fascist regimes I mentioned earlier, you'd have the SS/Gestapo/police at your doorstep for saying this.

Not in this country. I express freely my point of view. But I will never do anything contrary to the country's well-being. I may disagree with the Establishment but will not do anything to harm the country in any way.

I don't know if I have been able to express my self articulately in this foreign language, but that's the best I can do.

[newbie~wan]

Loud and clear, Shahani.
I agree w/ Shahani. We have to have a zero tolerance policy on prohibiting free speech, or else where do you stop the "little, insignificant" changes? Errosion is always a slow, and almost unnoticed process.

THeo is also right, the only speech that needs protected is the unpopular. If we were to, as some suggest, allow a jury of peers to vote on when free speech was "expression of thought" or "threat to society", popular culture would prevail everytime, thus effectively eliminating free speech w/ out actually, technically, doing so. This concept is very clearly articulated in Capitalism and Freedom, Milton Friedman's classic treatise on economics and politics. I highly recommend it.

AND, nomaxim has an excellent point. People are stupid and lazy. Especially lazy, though. Only the motivated and the educated are aware of how the economic and political arena work and therefore they milk the apathy of the general polulace to their advantage.

For this reason, I think that the gap between the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak, the educated and the ignorant (almost all of which state the same thing) will continue to widen. However, its a complicated matter to figure out how to protect the general public. One thing is certain though, and that is that socialism is not the answer. It just goes against human nature and stiffles creativity, plain and simple. We are creatures of necessity. If we will be neither punished nor rewarded for our actions, then complacency follows.
However, the argument that I just detailed is exactly the one used by deregulators to justify the deregulation of many industries previously monitored by the government. We all know how well deregulation has done so far......

I don't have the answer, and won't pretend to. But I think only open, continuous discussion offers any chance of problem resolution.

But I think only open, continuous discussion offers any chance of problem resolution.

Yup.

That's what the First is all about.

[Knothead]

I thought that was very well-stated, Shahani.

I am flabbergasted at any American who would view the Constitution in a cavalier manner.

But I'm glad I don't need to go into it here, as I don't see anyone here taking it any more lightly than I do.

Edit: Very good post above, too, Newbie-wan, I agree heartily (and with a good deal of regret, too. ).

Good you agree with me at least one, Knothead. I was thinking my thoughts are as nutty as GWB.