The Real Cost of Freedom of Speech

Freedom of speech is the concept of one being able to give their opinion verbally in public with out the fear of being censored or punished. Yet do we truly have this freedom?

Freedom of expression is protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution but it does carry some exceptions like anything else in life, Mainly copywrite, commercial speech and the Miller test for obscenity, though rarely comes to play.

However to what extent can we claim Freedom of Speech? Walking along the road if you were to hear someone screaming racial slurs is this person safe from slander suits or defamation of character because it is their opinion? It seems our Freedom of Speech stops when it comes to minority issues, opinions of the government, opinions of things we are programmed to feel a certain way about. They are grey areas and people have been founded guilty of slander when stating opinions. This is only one scenario.

Peaceful protesting has been allowed for years. As long as you do not disturb the peace and act in outlandish ways. Though it sometimes may seems when the "right" person does not agree with a protest it is quickly broken up, arrests can be made, and sometimes brute force used.

As long as one does not touch on the 100 or so taboo subjects then they can express their freedom of speech but what may be taboo to you is a lifestyle for another. It seems now a days when someone uses this freedom to speak freely about there opinions and it has a chance to mold to many people they are quickly shut down. It is safe to say if your opinion is only reaching a limited few you are protected under the right of freedom of speech and can go about spreading your opinion.