A couple of reasons I want to defend free speech: 1. Saw an enlightening documentary on the plight of the citizens and press in Burma. read more here: http://loinsbongo.blog.co.uk/2009/04/17/burma-vj-taking-liberties-ian-tomlinson-g20-5963351/
2. My school district decided to interpret a STATE OF TEXAS freedom of speech LAW in a very restrictive way that is illegal. So now what, I sue? Don't have that much money and clout nor inscensed enough to spend the money I do have on it. But I can confront the school district's board and point out parts of the law they decided to squash. Will be meeting again this week. When defining why this was important, I could go way back to childhood in the 60's, or better, women's rights. Problem I have is that I want 1st amendment expression freedoms, but to a point. Can someone stand on top of a builiding with loud speaker to speak his mind....well, yes, but please not nude, be between 8 am and 10 pm, etc. Goes back to "Must have rules inorder to have equal freedoms".
from http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/about.aspx?item=about_firstamd
..."Most people believe in the right to free speech, but debate whether it should cover flag-burning, hard-core rap and heavy-metal lyrics, tobacco advertising, hate speech, pornography, nude dancing, solicitation and various forms of symbolic speech. Many would agree to limiting some forms of free expression, as seen in the First Amendment Center's State of the First Amendment survey reports.
Most people, at some level, recognize the necessity of religious liberty and toleration, but some balk when a religious tenet of a minority religion conflicts with a generally applicable law or with their own religious faith. Many Americans see the need to separate the state from the church to some extent, but decry the banning of school-sponsored prayer from public schools and the removal of the Ten Commandments from public buildings.
Further, courts wrestle daily with First Amendment controversies and constitutional clashes, as evidenced by the free-press vs. fair-trial debate and the dilemma of First Amendment liberty principles vs. the equality values of the 14th Amendment.
Such difficulties are the price of freedom of speech and religion in a tolerant, open society."
