First Amendment

[Babe_Ruth]

Now I don't want to cause any shit storms by creating this thread, but I think some Americans take the First Amendment a little to far. I understand you have Freedom of Speech, but it doesn't mean you can say/do anything that you like.

One of the reasons I bring this up is because Dr. Laura said the N Word on her Radio Show(don't know all the details) then she went on Larry King and said she was only excersing her First Amendment.

Now I'm Canadian, so I might just be talking out of my a$$ here and if you like you can tell me I'm totally off base here. This is just something I thought of this morning.

If people get scrutized for saying something like Dr Laura did, or sometime even worst, they'll just use the line, I'm American, I have my Freedom of Speech.

I'm not pointing any fingers here, I just wanted to start a topic about my thoughts and see what other people think.

Like I said though, I might be totally wrong, and I apologize if you believe this thread doesn't make any sense or it's stupid :lol:

Thoughts?

 

[CaptainObvious]

I haven't read nor have I heard anything about what she said, but she is correct. If she did say it she was exercising her First Amendment rights. It's important to remember a couple of things about any of the bill of rights, they pertain to the federal government and to the state government via the incorporation clause of the 14th amendment.

She does have the right to say what she said if she did indeed say it. The FCC can prohibit her from saying it on the air however and her employer can fire her and all of her sponsors can boycott her. But she still has the right to say it. The freedom is not absolute, it is restricted by time, place and manner, but she does have the right to use the N-word if she chooses.

The thing is she can express herself all she wants, but along with that goes the scrutiny. For example, remember when the Dixie Chicks said what they said about being from Texas? And a bunch of radio stations broke their records, refused to play their music and people boycotted their concerts? And they came out naked on a magazine cover with the words "Freedom of Speech" and things like that written across their bodies? What they failed to understand is noone said they didn't have the right to say what they did. The federal government wasn't preventing them from saying what they did, it was the freedom of the public to scrutinize what they said. The First Amendment didn't apply...something they completely failed to understand.

 

[Wade8813]

CO's right - she has the right to say it, and we have the right to tear her to pieces for doing it, and those who employ her have the right to reprimand her.

 

[SmilinSilhouette]

CO is absolutely right. I love freedom of speech, it allows one to take measure of our fellow citizens.

The Dr. Laura incident is interesting as her entire point was that there is a ridiculous double standard that "if you don't have enough melanin then you can't use the "N-word". See what our PC society has confirmed? She used the word in the context of black comedians using it all the time, but if a white person uses the word then there is an uproar. Obviously she was absolutely right.

 

[Babe_Ruth]

Just to make it a bit more clear, I was just using Dr Laura as an example here since I heard "her story" while going to work yesterday. I just believe that people take advantage for the First Amendment a bit to much. I understand it was put in place for a reason, but sometimes I just hear stories about Freedom of Speech which are just a bit to extreme for me to swallow.

Don't you believe that some people take advantage of it?

 

[SmilinSilhouette]

Freedom is not freedom from something, it is the tolerance that goes along with accepting the right of others to express ideas that you don't like or agree with. Like flag burning. I personally would not burn the American flag in protest, but I believe in the right to do so. The Nazis march in my hometown every year. I don't like them but they have a right to express their views, no matter how stupid they are. Too bad many of my fellow citizens think they have the right to NOT be offended or freedom FROM religion.

 

[Babe_Ruth]

Freedom is not freedom from something, it is the tolerance that goes along with accepting the right of others to express ideas that you don't like or agree with. Like flag burning. I personally would not burn the American flag in protest, but I believe in the right to do so. The Nazis march in my hometown every year. I don't like them but they have a right to express their views, no matter how stupid they are. Too bad many of my fellow citizens think they have the right to NOT be offended or freedom FROM religion.

Basically you're telling me that First Amendment prevents censorship pretty much? People are allowed to say what they want, and some of these things are led by actions "burning of the American flag for example" It might outrage people, but they're only excersing their Freedom of Speech, meaning nothing can be really done about it.

At what point does it cross the line? When someone breaks the law?

 

[SmilinSilhouette]

Something can be done about it, just not by government. Other citizens can form their opinions, speak their mind, and take actions (like choosing to boycott someone or their business or their sponsors).

It can cross the line of decency and one would be judged by their peers. The only time government should be involved is when a law is broken.

 

[AnitaKnapp]

I heard about this the past 2 days on my way to work. Sure, she was exercising her first amendment right to say what she pleases...but the government is not reprimanding her for it.

Her peers and listeners are. Her First Amendment rights are not being violated as she keeps claiming. When you say a racial slur, how do you expect not to get any backlash?

In regards to the First Amendment, I see nothing wrong with it or people going too far with it. I don't believe that the government should be censoring what you say or punishing you for it.

 

[SmilinSilhouette]

When you say a racial slur, how do you expect not to get any backlash?

lol, when you're in the "protected class" that can say things and still be offended and complain when others say the same thing!

Otherwise I agree with what you said.