Freedom of Expression Essay - 1331 Words

One of the most controversial parts of the First Amendment of the US Constitution concerns freedom of expression. Some Americans, such as the Libertarians, feel there should be no censorship. On the other end of the spectrum are more conservative people, many religious, who believe there should be strict limits on what can be published. Most people would agree it is a bad idea to publish or put on the Internet the plans for homemade bombs, biological weapons, or other devices which may be used to kill or maim someone. But in the name of freedom of the press, this information is available. Censors would like to make this practice illegal, because it may facilitate a crime. Others say criminals will always find a way to do what†¦show more content†¦Another touchy area of censorship is national security. Some people think the government should be open and give out all the information it has about everything. Others realize, however, that in the interest of national security, there must be some things that remain secret, especially in the case of war and C.I.A. matters. A freedom of expression issue has come up in the last few weeks at Zeeland High School. A student was expelled for wearing a T-shirt with the name of the rock band Korn on it. The policy of the school is that no one can wear a shirt with Korn, Tool, or Marilyn Manson on it. The American Civil Liberties Union promptly offered the student a lawyer and said they would fight for his rights. However, another lawyer was quoted as saying, To think that any student has the same civil rights once they walk through the school door is absolutely untrue (Rupke 5). This idea was upheld in the Hazelwood decision, which said it was okay for a school administrator to remove stories from the school paper if he or she objected to them. Still another student was expelled last week from a Georgia high school for wearing a Pepsi shirt on Coke in Education Day. Administrators said it was embarrassing to them, because officials from the Coca-Cola company were at the school that day. Apparently high school students have little or no rights of expression or press while they are at school. Another question that is raised about freedom of speechShow MoreRelatedFreedom of Expression1919 Words   |  8 Pagesabove surely has been presented throughout history as an archetype of this concept, specifically noting freedom of expression as a right to which all hold possession. The assertion of this right is well represented in the Unites States Bill of Rights. Within that document the First Amendment specifically restricts governmental powers prohibiting any such law or act from abbreviating our freedom of speech . This keystone to the American Democratic System spawns dialogue and discourse which forms policyRead MoreThe Freedom And Freedom Of Expression1355 Words   |  6 PagesWhat drives immigrants to endure the perilous journey to the United States is precious freedom, and the chance of living the American dream. More commonly parents bring their children in hope for a greater standard of life. Undoubtedly there are better education opportunities that correspond directl y to better job opportunities. In other cases immigrants are seeking asylum from war-torn countries just trying to escape death by any means necessary. Extreme poverty is an epidemic in foreign countriesRead MoreNgos And Freedom Of Expression1719 Words   |  7 Pages NGOs and Freedom of Expression NGOs are significant actors in defending the human right to freedom of expression worldwide. The right to freedom of expression is entrenched in international law through the following: Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): â€Å"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless ofRead MoreThe Issue Of Freedom Of Expression1277 Words   |  6 PagesEverything that we consider to be freedom of expression such as, Freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, petition, and of association are all protected by our First Amendment. The Supreme Court has previously said that this freedom is the matrix, the indispensable condition of nearly every other form of freedom. Without this, all other constitutional rights like the right to vote, would wither and die. Despite being the First of twenty-seven amendments in our constitutional hierarchy, theRead MoreSpeech On Freedom Of Expression1552 Words   |  7 PagesIs freedom of expression really a right of American citizens, and if so, are there any limits? To start off, freedom of expression is the r ight to express ones ideas and opinions freely through speech, writing, and other forms of communication, but without deliberately causing harm to others character and/or reputation by false or misleading statements. There is no such thing as full freedom of expression. There are many articles and laws stating that a person has complete and utter freedom ofRead MoreFreedom Of Speech And Expression1198 Words   |  5 PagesIII. Freedom of speech and expression The freedom of speech and expression is a cherished human right which has worldwide acceptance. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights through Article19, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights through Article 19, the European Convention on Human Rights through Article 19 etc. recognize this right as a human right. But it is not clear whether the right to use loudspeaker forms part of this right. Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian ConstitutionRead More Freedom Of Expression Essay748 Words   |  3 Pages Freedom of Expression: All people in the United States are guaranteed this right by the Constitution. Students, however, do not have this right to the same extent as adults. This is because public schools are required to protect all students at the school. The major aspects of this right are speech and dress. Both the right to speech and dress are not absolute in public high schools. According to the American Civil Liberties Union: quot;You (students) have a right to express your opinions as longRead MoreFreedom Of Speech And Expression Essay974 Words   |  4 Pagesthe State of Punjab, Fram Nusserwanji v. State of Bombay, Chandardeo v. State of Bihar, Tozam-mal v. Government of Bengal, etc., the laws related to press ultra vires to the constitution were quashed. Article 19(1) (a), freedom of speech and expression which also includes freedom of press is with the restrictions provided in Article 19(2) of the Constitution. When the constitution was enacted, Article 19 contained only following restrictions: 1. Libel, slander and defamation 2. Contempt of courtRead MorePrivacy And Freedom Of Expression2447 Words   |  10 Pages Privacy and freedom of expression are both vital in the preservation of society. In stating this one must be acutely aware of the medias role in directly advocating for freedom of expression over an individual’s right to privacy. In AG v Guardian Newspapers, Lord Geoff states that ‘freedom of expression has existed in this country perhaps as long, if not longer, than it has existed in any other country in the world’ . Nevertheless these rights must be balanced and applied in a manner which isRead MoreFreedom of Expression Essay519 Words   |  3 PagesFreedom of Expression Freedom of expression, and open access to media, are as fundamental to the survival of Progress as the sun and rain are to the survival of planet Earth. Yet censorship remains a traditional response of any group that finds itself offended at anothers message or creative indulgence. The argument that because they serve the public interest, media should willingly accept a moral arbiter to decide what will and what will not be disseminated is both uninformed and dangerous