www.commenterry.com http://www.commenterry.com Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 Military Funerals and the First Amendment http://www.commenterry.com/2011/11/30/military-funerals-and-the-first-amendment/ http://www.commenterry.com/2011/11/30/military-funerals-and-the-first-amendment/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.commenterry.com/&p=15 The first amendment actually protects hateful protests at military funerals. Nobody can actually react to the pain by punishing the speaker.This is to make sure that nobody stifles public debate. This was ruled into action in the Supreme court with most votes for this amendment. It is very important for people to actually follow this law or there will be some type of punishment. People do have a freedom of speech but when it comes to events such as a military funeral, people just need to be careful of what they do and say. Many things can be taken the wrong way which can end up leading and causing more conflict. This is basically what this amendment is trying to do. If everyone follows it, then nobody will run into any problems. It has already went into affect. Obviously they have been having minor problems and issues with speech and military funerals for this to even be made a law. If you want more information about this amendment, you can easily look it up online and you’ll be able to find answers also. You’ll be able to see the guidelines for such a law that has just went into affect.

]]> http://www.commenterry.com/2011/11/30/military-funerals-and-the-first-amendment/feed/ 0 Understanding the Limitations of the First Amendment http://www.commenterry.com/2011/11/16/understanding-the-limitations-of-the-first-amendment/ http://www.commenterry.com/2011/11/16/understanding-the-limitations-of-the-first-amendment/#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.commenterry.com/&p=14 The First Amendment guarantees that Americans will have political free speech. It guarantees the freedom of religion. It even protects the owners of news organizations and the rights of people to protest. While it is one of the great ideas of the founding fathers, there are limits to what the first amendment can do.

Many people already know that the first amendment does not protect against accusations of slander or libel. A person cannot print damaging information about someone else, nor can he speak such accusations. The defense may be truth, but speaking the truth is no guarantee their will not be civil penalties imposed. Freedom to say whatever a person wants does not mean that an individual will not face the consequences for the individual’s actions. An employer can still fire an employee who says something that the employer does not like.

The right to peacefully assemble has limits. The assembly cannot take place anywhere that will disrupt the flow of traffic or cause problems for public safety. The police can arrest someone for protesting without a permit or protesting in a restricted area. Freedom is a wonderful thing, but the point where it often ends is when it infringes upon the safety or well being of a private citizen.

]]> http://www.commenterry.com/2011/11/16/understanding-the-limitations-of-the-first-amendment/feed/ 0 Does the First Amendment Encourage Hateful Speech http://www.commenterry.com/2011/11/03/does-the-first-amendment-encourage-hateful-speech/ http://www.commenterry.com/2011/11/03/does-the-first-amendment-encourage-hateful-speech/#comments Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.commenterry.com/&p=13 The right to free speech is our first constitutional amendment. When this country was first being formed, governed and populated, the government wanted its citizens to be able to speak freely about issues concerning their safety, happiness and rights.

The First Amendment does NOT encourage hateful speech. People can speak hatefully in this country and they will, but that was not the intent of this amendment. People who justify speaking hatefully, spreading hate, prejudice and meanness by referring to the rights of the First Amendment are just wrong.I was looking for more information and found it here.

The Bill of Rights was not written in order to promote hate or harm to anyone. It was written to protect the citizens of the United States. People forget it was a different culture and population over 200 years ago, when these rights were written. Our citizens were breaking away from Great Britain, in order to gain independence. We were not forming a nation of people who can encourage hatefulness. As a matter of fact, our country is about just the opposite, is it not?

The United States has welcomed people with open arms from all nations and cultures. We have promoted and encouraged new beginnings and jobs and the American dream.

]]> http://www.commenterry.com/2011/11/03/does-the-first-amendment-encourage-hateful-speech/feed/ 0 Websites that Rely on Free Speech http://www.commenterry.com/2011/10/13/websites-that-rely-on-free-speech/ http://www.commenterry.com/2011/10/13/websites-that-rely-on-free-speech/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.commenterry.com/?p=11 Free speech is everywhere but nowhere more so than on the web. As we’ve seen in other countries and here on U.S. soil the free speech fight is far from over and the pervasiveness of Clear Wireless Internet is making it easier for everyone to express their views. Here are a few of the websites that would be hard pressed to exist in a world without free speech:
The Drudge Report: Some of the world’s best and most gossipy breaking news comes from Matt Drudge and if he were to be charged for defamation every time he made a post his site would cease to exist as we know it.
Huffington Post: Arianna Huffington has faced her fair share of troubles over writing litigation but it’s no secret her staff likes to rewrite other pieces they find on the web and turn them into news.
Perez Hilton: Can you imagine if the queen of snark had to be careful what he said? Perez is the ultimate gossip and from politics to Hollywood you can expect him to exercise his first amendment rights.

]]> http://www.commenterry.com/2011/10/13/websites-that-rely-on-free-speech/feed/ 0 Money Talks: The Erosion of the First Amendment http://www.commenterry.com/2011/08/01/money-talks-the-erosion-of-the-first-amendment/ http://www.commenterry.com/2011/08/01/money-talks-the-erosion-of-the-first-amendment/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.commenterry.com/?p=10 Money talks today stronger than ever. The influence of money upon free speech is causing the erosion of the First Amendment more quickly than ever.

Money is buying the opinions of the public through advertising, the votes of the political arena through lobbying and directs the masses through commercials on television. Most of us think what we do politically, socially and economically because of the influence money has over us as a citizen. This is true in America and in the rest of the world as well.

The fact is that money talks and those without money have no voice at all. What we buy, where we work, what we drive, where we live, what we learn, who we know and why we choose the life we live are all directly influenced by how much money we have. Money even tells us, In God We Trust. Money talks for us louder than we often speak for ourselves.

It is important to consider what money says about us and how money talks to the world we live in today. Because how money talks for us as a nation is causing the erosion of our basic freedoms. Let your voice be heard.

]]> http://www.commenterry.com/2011/08/01/money-talks-the-erosion-of-the-first-amendment/feed/ 0 Hates Speech in the 21st Century http://www.commenterry.com/2011/07/31/hates-speech-in-the-21st-century/ http://www.commenterry.com/2011/07/31/hates-speech-in-the-21st-century/#comments Sun, 31 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.commenterry.com/?p=9 In the United States, hate speech typically has been reserved toward race and has resulted in intolerance, hatred, and violence toward black people well into the Eighties. Hate rhetoric has always had a tendency to lead toward sinister actions toward those whom the poisoned words are directed. In the 21rst century, one almost wants to use to term evolved to describe the malice in speech compared with our past, however, it only shifted shades. Racism has been redirected, and now targets Arabs and Muslims. The national debate has actually become: should the United States practice profiling? Considering the enemy we are fighting, discrimination has some defensible points.
Racism is not the only form of hate speech prevalent. It has now become common place to use hyperbolic and violent language toward members of political ideologies. These rants have lead toward actions as benign as pies being thrown to as sinister as Congressmen Giffords to be shot in the head. The response from the media was to cool the rhetoric, but factual, unimpassioned speech does not sell. Noam Chomsky once said the true words “If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.”

]]> http://www.commenterry.com/2011/07/31/hates-speech-in-the-21st-century/feed/ 0 Political Speech in the 21st Century http://www.commenterry.com/2011/07/30/political-speech-in-the-21st-century/ http://www.commenterry.com/2011/07/30/political-speech-in-the-21st-century/#comments Sat, 30 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.commenterry.com/?p=8 Coming upon a new year of politics everyone wants to get in the game, as it were with speeches. Politics itself is considered one of the cornerstones of speeches, speech writing and delivery.

Putting together a good speech is essential for any politician running for office because it gives a first-hand impression of how the candidate will express themselves to the public. Also essential because it will let others know how this candidate presents their speech.

Public speaking is a beautiful thing to behold if the speaker is well versed in their speech, understanding the material and their audience, and considers the time frame for the speech.

Thankfully, the freedom to speak is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, and includes the freedom of assembly. This means that no matter who decides to speak, they can have someone there to listen assembled of their own free will.

This is one of the freedom’s afforded the people of The United States of America and helps keep the public not only informed but understanding of other’s thoughts and actions across the country.

The freedom to be able to speak lets everyone within hearing distance know how the world is getting along. From those in public office, regular offices and everyday folks, being able to voice an opinion is a wonderful thing.

]]> http://www.commenterry.com/2011/07/30/political-speech-in-the-21st-century/feed/ 0 How the Roberts Court Has Interpreted the First Amendment http://www.commenterry.com/2011/07/29/how-the-roberts-court-has-interpreted-the-first-amendment/ http://www.commenterry.com/2011/07/29/how-the-roberts-court-has-interpreted-the-first-amendment/#comments Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.commenterry.com/?p=7 Students who sponsor rallies whose purpose is to back the legalization of currently illegal recreational pharmaceuticals should understand how the Roberts court has ruled. Courts have never ruled that students have full first amendment rights, and they have ruled that administrators can restrict the right to free speech when it serves the educational needs of the institution. People under the age of the 18 enjoy many of the same rights of United State citizens, but they will not enjoy all of the rights until they reach the age of 21. At least, this is true for people who view drinking as a right.

Roberts may have rule that in the case of the school district, but the court has held free speech rights in a far more controversial case. The funeral protests of the Westboro Baptist church have attracted much attention and much criticism. A number of people have tried to stop the protests in the name of good taste, but members of the small church have shown up at a number of high-profile funerals and at the funerals of US soldiers. The court’s decision in the school case may not have been upholding first amendment rights, but the second court

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