The Free Speech Argument

[el_bryanto]

3. Is freedom of expression a value as well as a constitutional right as well?

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" - Evelyn Beatrice Hall (although often attributed to Voltaire). Is defending Free Speech strictly a legal prohibition or is it something that should motivate us as individuals? Imagine you saw someone trying to persuade workers to unionize, surrounded by company goons shouting her down - are her rights to free speech being taken away? Or say you had a coworker who was fired because he had a website expressing his support for a woman's right to choose (in this example imagine you work for Hobby Lobby)). The Government didn't punish him for expressing himself, so no harm, no foul, right?

Secondly, nobody wants to silence speech they agree with; they only really want to silence speech that is saying something they disagree with. The measure of whether or not you favor freedom of speech is not how willing you are to defend someone saying something you agree with but how willing you are to defend someone saying something you disagree with. So in the example above, imagine you had a coworker who was fired because he had a "pro-life" website (in this case you probably don't work for Hobby Lobby)? Is that acceptable? or better?

I do like that last quote though - defending an argument by reaching to freedom of speech only works when people are literally threatening your ability to speak. Otherwise its' pretty pathetic.

Bryant