General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The Limits of Free Speech [View all]Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)First Amendment speech does not mean that everyone can say everything everywhere and in every context. If someone says certain stuff on DU, they can get kicked off. That's a restriction on their speech, but it isn't a violation of their 1st Amendment rights.
I recognize that different workplaces, educational establishments, and the like can have assorted rules pertaining to speech in certain contexts- again, not the same thing.
I'm not speaking to the specific university chant, here- on, in another thread, a particularly obnoxious series of bus ads. I think in each case the institutions involved could probably find a means via which to regulate or modulate the content of the situation without having to argue that the specific speech is "not protected by the 1st Amendment".
I am addressing the larger gist of this opinion piece, which is, as the author put it, there is something "wrong" with the 1st Amendment if we are forced to allow people to say nasty shit. Which is a fucking astoundingly unconstitutional and asinine thing for a law professor, of all people, to assert, and I sure as fuckitty-fuck am going to object to that sentiment with every fucking fiber of my fucking being, because fuck me if I think we should get into the business of letting the government start censoring speech that bothers some people.*
* Even though I know that is a small group's most special, cherished fantasy.