I wish we had a better example for regulating free speech than "yelling FIRE in a crowded theater"

[Recursion]

The provenance is unfortunate.

The phrase comes from Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.'s decision in Schenck v. US, where Holmes compared US Socialist party secretary Schenck's anti-WWI flyers to yelling fire in a crowded theater. It established the "clear and present danger" standard (something that is a clear and present danger can be subject to prior restraint), though this has been largely made irrelevant by later decisions.

Anyways, just a bit of history, and a wish to find an example for regulating free speech that wasn't used to quash anti-war protests.

[Fumesucker]

1. Anti war protests will always be highly unpopular at the beginning of a war

Mark Twain remarked on the phenomenon in his story War Prayer.

[GeorgeGist]

2. How about a gunner opening fire in a theatre?

[surrealAmerican]

3. Did he originate that phrase?

I thought it was older than that.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

4. Libel. nt

[RobertEarl]

5. Infringed speech

Speech at official gov meetings, usually well regulated to 3 minutes.

You have a right to speak which can be infringed or total freedom allowed.

I guess you could say there is a time and a place for certain things that the government can control for the welfare of all.