Difference between revisions of "Free speech"
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Free speech is threatened by [[hate speech]] codes which define certain types of statements as [[hate crime]]s. While supposedly protecting vulnerable groups (such as "questioning gay teens") from verbal abuse, rules and laws provide no clear distinction between "hurtful" speech and simply expressing one's opinion. Religious people, accordingly, worry that hate crimes legislation in America will be used to stop preachers and others from saying out loud or in print that homosexuality is evil. | Free speech is threatened by [[hate speech]] codes which define certain types of statements as [[hate crime]]s. While supposedly protecting vulnerable groups (such as "questioning gay teens") from verbal abuse, rules and laws provide no clear distinction between "hurtful" speech and simply expressing one's opinion. Religious people, accordingly, worry that hate crimes legislation in America will be used to stop preachers and others from saying out loud or in print that homosexuality is evil. | ||
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| + | Incidentally, Conservapedia has a history of stifling free speech by deleting opinions that don't toe the conservative line. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
* [[Free Speech Clause]] | * [[Free Speech Clause]] | ||
[[Category:Law]][[Category:Democracy]] | [[Category:Law]][[Category:Democracy]] | ||
Revision as of 23:06, June 29, 2012
Free speech is the right to express your opinions out loud, in public or private, in print, by mail, or online. It is essential to democracy, and it is the greatest deterrent to tyranny.
Free speech is threatened by hate speech codes which define certain types of statements as hate crimes. While supposedly protecting vulnerable groups (such as "questioning gay teens") from verbal abuse, rules and laws provide no clear distinction between "hurtful" speech and simply expressing one's opinion. Religious people, accordingly, worry that hate crimes legislation in America will be used to stop preachers and others from saying out loud or in print that homosexuality is evil.
Incidentally, Conservapedia has a history of stifling free speech by deleting opinions that don't toe the conservative line.