What is the topic of the First Amendment?
“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.”
Are there any types of speech that are so objectionable that they should not be protected by the First Amendment?
The Supreme Court has called the few exceptions to the 1st Amendment “well-defined and narrowly limited.” They include obscenity, defamation, fraud, incitement, true threats and speech integral to already criminal conduct
Is hate speech protected?
While “hate speech” is not a legal term in the United States, the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that most of what would qualify as hate speech in other western countries is legally protected free speech under the First Amendment.
Is free speech absolute?
While freedom of speech is a fundamental right, it is not absolute, and therefore subject to restrictions. These actions would cause problems for other people, so restricting speech in terms of time, place, and manner addresses a legitimate societal concern.
Is your speech protected by the First Amendment?
The First Amendment only protects your speech from government censorship. It applies to federal, state, and local government actors. This is a broad category that includes not only lawmakers and elected officials, but also public schools and universities, courts, and police officers.
What is a true threat 1st Amendment?
In legal parlance a true threat is a statement that is meant to frighten or intimidate one or more specified persons into believing that they will be seriously harmed by the speaker or by someone acting at the speaker’s behest.
What 4 things does the First Amendment?
The First Amendment enshrines, in the U.S. Constitution, protections for a number of individual and collective rights, or freedoms. These include: freedom of religion, freedom of speech and press, and the freedom to peaceably assemble and to petition the government.