Do we still have freedom of speech?

“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.”

These 45 words make up the complete First Amendment to the U.S.  Constitution.  For many of us, they are the most important words ever strung into a complex sentence, because they’re the foundation for the unique American way of life.

Only individually can we and do we, choose not to hate, or not to be ignorant, or not to be racist, no law or legislation can do that, or choose that, for us. It is too great an infringement on our Liberty, to have to be selective of every word that we choose, just so we do not offend anyone. People do not have to listen to people they find offensive, or read what people have written if they find it offensive, or watch entertainment they find offensive, or look at art they find offensive. They have the power and the right to censor for themselves, but not others or society. We need to get back to the place where we once were in this Country. When people were willing to fight and die to give liberty and freedom to everyone, and not just the people they agreed with.

Freedom of Speech is valued by most people as a God given right that are so important, it must be guaranteed by the government. Americans after the Revolutionary War decided they did not want the government restricting their speech. In general, at the time of the writing of the Constitution, the concern about protecting free speech was in regard to protecting political speech.