Hi Everyone!

Laws alone can not secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire population.
Albert Einstein

As Americans in 'the land of tolerance', who have tried to fix freedom of expression do you agree with this, that everyone needs to be tolerant before one can grant them freedom of expression? Or that everyone should unconditionally have freedom to expression?

quote:

"I disaprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"--Voltaire

Bluedemocrat's signature, and I very much agree with it. It pertains much to this conversation.

quote:

Originally posted by bluedemocrat:
A small, undectable amount of censorship is all right, in my opinion. I don't think there should be porn and nudity on non-pay-per-view channels. Otherwise, I'm pretty much oppossed to censorship by government. The ultimate responsibility lies on parents to monitor their childrens' exposure to non-age appropriate events. When parents complain about their five year old asking about sex, my only response is: why was you five year old watching the show in the first place?

thank god someone's said it.

bluedemocrat:

rightly said.

A small, undectable amount of censorship is all right, in my opinion. I don't think there should be porn and nudity on non-pay-per-view channels. Otherwise, I'm pretty much oppossed to censorship by government. The ultimate responsibility lies on parents to monitor their childrens' exposure to non-age appropriate events. When parents complain about their five year old asking about sex, my only response is: why was you five year old watching the show in the first place?

I don't know. I think that SOME censorship isn't all bad, because if we had people going around everyday saying aweful things about others than we would have some serious problems. Just like talking about bombs and such in an airplane would be a bad and STUPID choice to show your freedom of expression. Or maybe that's freedom of speech...

Otherwise, I am all for freedom of expression.

quote:

I do believe that we all have the right to express what we like, and how we like. I have a hard time with censorship...it contradicts the 1st amendment.

Are people aganst censorship because it is against the 1st Amendment or because it is morally wrong or some other reason I'm not saying here?

On that note, should slander be made legal (though it irkes me to type that, as I have beliefs as to what it should be made) through freedom of speech? What about deliberately misleading, though factually true, arguments (such as misuse of statistics)?

Yeah,a lot of people say that america is the greatest place on the world and blah, blah, blah. I'm not saying that the USA isn't great or anything, dont' get me wrong. The 1st amendment is the freedom of speech, but when the government get wind of something they don't like they try and silence that source...what happened to the freedom of speech?

The 1st amendment to the constitution gives all people the right to free speech and free expression. In the land of "tolerance" everyone has fair right to express their views...now not all of us agree with their expression of free speech, like the racists, or the bigots, the facists, or the dogma-hogs as I call them.

But yes I do believe that we all have the right to express what we like, and how we like. I have a hard time with censorship...it contradicts the 1st amendment. And as youth, well we struggle to keep our 1st amendment rights, I can tell you so many adults out there try to tell me to be seen and unheard and then I remind them of the 1st amendment.

I say that seeing how you can't tell people they can't express themselves under the protection of the 1st amendment you're just going to have to buy yourself some earplugs and a good magazine to read becuase they aren't going to stop their expressing!

I honestly believe that racists shouldn't have the right to preach there beliefs .Have any of you ever thought what it feels like to be called gay or negro by a person you don't know or who doesn't want to know you because he believes that blacks,or jew,or gays are wrong.I believe they have no right to judge what's wrong or right.As a black female its not always the easiest thing to deal with in life.There is a time and things that should have its freedom. I just think that if your freedom of speech is going to hurt someone emotionally,physically,and mentally that it shouldn't be done.But its not up to me.

You have the right to say whatever you want as long as you don't physically cause the harm to another human being. If you yell, "Fire, Fire!" and a stampede starts yeah you can say it but you should still go to jail.

quote:

Originally posted by ilovebush:
"if we want to teach tolerence we have to get to the root of intolerence - any religion that basises its belielfs around jesus and islam."

can you please explain yourself?

Gen. 1:1- In the beginning GOD created the Heavens and the Earth.
John 1:1- In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with GOD, and the WORD was GOD.

Quote the whole Bible and its meaning, not part of it.

Gen. 1:1- In the beginning GOD created the Heavens and the Earth.
John 1:1- In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with GOD, and the WORD was GOD.

Quote the whole Bible and its meaning, not part of it.

In the first amendment it says the freedom of like speech. Why sould some get to say what they think and others not. I dont care whether what they say is right or not they still have that right. I mean who are you me and everyone else out there to tell everyone what to or not to say? HMMMMM?

hey everyone. kinda new at this so.

well freedom is what makes america the greatest country. its what makes the USA the USA.
i do agree, there is a point where some people take those freedoms for granted which is why we have the law. but, as i said freedom is what makes america great, and also our wonderful troops worldwide fighting for us.

quote:

Originally posted by bluedemocrat:
I'm sort of torn on this topic. If America truely was the land of tolerance then wouldn't we have to accept the beliefs of racists and other such people? I, for one, can't decide. I'm against censorship, but I am in favor of preventing racists from preaching their beliefs. You probably can't have it both ways. I guess I'm just a hypocrite.

Laws regulating freedom of speech don't stop the ideas and beliefs. We should let racists speak and then make they decisions on whether they are right or not

"if we want to teach tolerence we have to get to the root of intolerence - any religion that basises its belielfs around jesus and islam."

can you please explain yourself?

if we want to teach tolerence we have to get to the root of intolerence - any religion that basises its belielfs around jesus and islam.

It pains me to say it, but racists should have the rights to preach in public. I saw a white supremisist speaker on satilite once. I watched it out of curiosity (I watch the bible channel too, don't get any ideas.) It was really interesting, in a creepy sort of way.

I'm sort of torn on this topic. If America truely was the land of tolerance then wouldn't we have to accept the beliefs of racists and other such people? I, for one, can't decide. I'm against censorship, but I am in favor of preventing racists from preaching their beliefs. You probably can't have it both ways. I guess I'm just a hypocrite.