Test Your Knowledge of the Constitution! A Little Quiz:

[Taylor Mason Powell]

This quiz is written by me. It consists of one multiple choice question:

WHICH, IF ANY, OF THE FOLLOWING CONSTITUTE VIOLATIONS OF A PERSON'S RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THS U.S. CONSTITUTION?

a. The manager of a casino fires a popular singer for speaking out politically.

b. The president's press secretary says, during a briefing, "people ought to watch what they say."

c. A corporation fires a comedienne/actress for making off-color jokes about the president.

d. A television news anchor says, "you would think people would learn, after the Dixie Chicks, to keep their mouths shut."

e. A huge radio conglomerate pulls a popular country music act off its playlists after the lead singer criticizes the President.

f. A television network cancels a late-night show after the host makes what it perceives to be insensitive remarks.

g. A group of tv stations decides not to air an episode of "Nightline" because it doesn't like the content.

h. An internet political forum routinely deletes forum posts which do not conform to the forum's strict guidelines.

----------------------------------------------------

The answer is: NONE OF THE ABOVE!

Although many of the above things constitute truly reprehensible behavior (except for the internet forum one of course - hi mods!!), none of them are First Amendment issues.

Only the government can violate your constitutional rights. We claim to be savvy about the constitution here, but I often see people making this mistake.

[Viking12]

1. True, but

most people are arguing for Free Speech not the First Amendment, which is merely a subset of Free Speech generally speaking. Free Speech advocates argue from an ethical position rather than a legal one. Read John Stuart Mill's "On the Liberty of Thought and Discussion."

[Taylor Mason Powell]

5. I will!

I understand that the Constitution doesn't grant rights, it merely acknowledges them. In that sense, the "right of free speech" can be understood as a universal human right that is in no way bestowed upon us by the Government.

When these people pull this crap, we should go after them with everything we've got. Protests, boycotts, ridicule, lawsuits...

it's just not unconstitutional.

[enki23]

2. granted, true. but...

we need to take more steps to ensure, in this era of media control that is already functionally an oligopoly, that maintaining the right to meaningfully free speech takes a more active effort than in the past. when private power has a significant dampening influence on communication in general, and the expression of certain kinds of views in particular... it is time to take action against that influence. i haven't heard of any performers being fired, or blackballed for speaking out in *support* the dominant political/business regime. this should worry you, i think. it worries me.

these actions *are not* violations of the narrowly-understood constitutional right to free speech. but some them *are* functionally equivalent.

[Taylor Mason Powell]

4. I couldn't agree more.

Taking action against these fuckers is entirely warranted.

[Mr_Spock]

10. Action needs to be coordinated - someone needs to coordinate it

the internet is OK, but real life action is where it's at.

[Taylor Mason Powell]

11. I nominate you! :-)

:-)

Seriously, I think moveon.org is an excellent example of how the internet can be used as a tool for precisely that. Still a long ways to go though...

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Here's the thing: the GOVERNMENT cannot impede your right to free speech.

Private citizens can, but only in private forums, like homes and businesses. It's not fair, but there it is.

For example, if you make disparing remarks about Smirky and you lose your job, can you sue? If you're working for the local, state, or federal government or its agencies, or a public hospital or college, then yes. Your right to free speech has been violated as you have been punished by the loss of your job (among other things . . .). But if you were working in a business office, a store, doctor's office, etc., you don't have much of a chance. Citizens can repress each other, but not the government.

[Make7]

7. the GOVERNMENT can impede your right to free speech.

But it's illegal.

:) Make7

[Taylor Mason Powell]

8. Unless they have a really good reason.

Like kiddie porn or "fighting words" or shouting fire in a crowded theater.

[jdj]

6. Wasn't Stalin great?

I mean it was such a great time.

Those 20 million or so, well, they must have done something...

After all, we were comrades, all of us.

Something like that could never have happened here.

[Taylor Mason Powell]

9. Congratulations! You win the non-sequitur of the week award!

:wtf:

[Lone_Wolf_Moderate]

12. I'm glad you said this..

People always make this mistake. While all these are acts of silly and knee-jerk PC behavior, none count as censorship. We need to be accurate on these things.