Reply #73: You are right. Fighting words are not protected. [View All]

[plumbob]

History of limits on speech confirmed by Supreme Court

http://www.bsos.umd.edu/gvpt/gvpt339/fightingwords.html

One of the unprotected categories of speech consists of so called "fighting words," that is, words which are likely to make the person to whom they are addressed commit an act of violence. Fighting words receive no First Amendment protection, because, like other unprotected categories (i.e. defamation, obscenity, etc.) They are not normally part of any dialogue or exposition of ideas. But, the Supreme Court today keeps this exclusion within narrow limits.

The fighting words doctrine originated in Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, 315 U.S. 568 (1942). The Chaplinsky ruling defined fighting words rather broadly. This doctrine included words which are likely to incite an immediate fight and words which inflict injury.


much much more at link