Amendment 1 - Freedom of Speech

Source:

'Dr. Laura' Is No Free Speech Victim. August 19, 2010.
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rashad-robinson/dr-laura-is-no-free-speec_b_688274.html

Constitutional Connection:

Amendment 1
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Explanation of Connection:

            As addressed in this article, "'Dr. Laura' Is No Free Speech Victim," freedom of speech is not freedom from the consequences of the content of your speech. It is the freedom to express your opinions to the public. By consequences, I mean the feedback that you may receive from the people on hearing of the ideas that you express in your speech. Dr. Laura had recently expressed a few very racist comments on her radio show, and she was not pleased with the criticism she received. She claimed that her right to "freedom of speech" was being abused, however this is not true because she can continue to exercise her opinion to the public eye all she wants, but she must keep in mind that people will hold her accountable for what she says.
           
            This article clearly demonstrates Amendment 1 of the United States Constitution. Our government gives every citizen of the U.S. the right to be heard by the public. This right has clearly been given to Dr. Laura, however, she disagrees. She believes that since the opinions she has expressed have been shot down by most critics and activists, they are taking away her right to freedom of speech. But, if you refer back to the exact words of the Constitution, you'll notice that Dr. Laura is mistaken. No one has abridged her speech, they have merely exercised THEIR freedom of speech by providing their opinions on her content.
           
            I am glad, and very grateful that I do not live in a society where the government prohibits my feedom of speech. I can imagine chaos amongst tired and troubled citizens who only want to be heard. And a government much like a dictatorship, which is full of impurities and flaws that could easily be fixed if only they considered the intelligence of their people.