Changes

:Congress shall make no law ... abridging the '''freedom of speech''' ....

:Congress shall make no law ... abridging the '''freedom of speech''' ....

The purpose of the free speech was to limit the power of the [[federal government]].  For [[James Madison]], "the First Amendment is not about self-expression, the search for truth as an end in itself, or even the opportunity for political participation as a means of self-fulfillment — it is about checking abuses of power."  The First Amendment was only mentioned in passing in his objections to the [[Sedition Act of 1798]]<ref>http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/news/2004_spr/blasi.htm</ref>.

The purpose of the free speech was to limit the power of the [[federal government]].  For [[James Madison]], "the First Amendment is not about self-expression, the search for truth as an end in itself, or even the opportunity for political participation as a means of self-fulfillment — it is about checking abuses of power."  The First Amendment was only mentioned in passing in his objections to the [[Sedition Act of 1798]].<ref>http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/news/2004_spr/blasi.htm</ref>

After the [[Civil War]] and the passage of the [[Fourteenth Amendment]], the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] expanded the [[First Amendment]] to apply against all forms of government, such as state and local governments.   

After the [[Civil War]] and the passage of the [[Fourteenth Amendment]], the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] expanded the [[First Amendment]] to apply against all forms of government, such as state and local governments.   

Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis wrote in ''Whitney v. California'', 274 U.S. 357

Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis wrote in ''Whitney v. California'', 274 U.S. 357

(1927):

(1927):

*[The Founding Fathers] believed that freedom to think as you will and to speak as you think are means indispensable to the discovery and spread of political truth; that without free speech and assembly discussion would be futile; that with them, discussion affords ordinarily adequate protection against noxious doctrine; that the greatest menace to freedom is an inert people; that public discussion is a political duty; and that this should be a fundamental principle of the American government. <ref> [http://www.cwfa.org/images/content/hecklers-veto-05.pdf Hecklers-veto] </ref>

*[The Founding Fathers] believed that freedom to think as you will and to speak as you think are means indispensable to the discovery and spread of political truth; that without free speech and assembly discussion would be futile; that with them, discussion affords ordinarily adequate protection against noxious doctrine; that the greatest menace to freedom is an inert people; that public discussion is a political duty; and that this should be a fundamental principle of the American government.<ref>[http://www.cwfa.org/images/content/hecklers-veto-05.pdf Hecklers-veto]</ref>

== What Free Speech is Not ==

== What Free Speech is Not ==

[[Category: United States Constitution]]

[[Category:United States Constitution]]

[[Category:Religion and Politics]]

[[Category:Religion and Politics]]

[[Category:First Amendment]]

[[Category:First Amendment]]