• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Free Speech vs Free Association

Yes or no?


  • Total voters
    14
Freedom of speech means the government won't stop you from saying something. It does not mean there will not be repercussions for saying it, just that those repercussions won't come from the government.

It takes a lot of courage to stand alone. Definitely people expressing unpopular opinions to a wide audience get a fair share of abuse and death threats.
 
freedom of speech does not mean someone is free from the effects of that speech. Many conservatives are confused by this.

If no one agreed with me I would probably have been silent. As long as there are people who agree with me I am less intimidated by the majority's opinion.
 
It takes a lot of courage to stand alone. Definitely people expressing unpopular opinions to a wide audience get a fair share of abuse and death threats.

They do, but death threats are a crime so we shouldn't be lumping that into the discussion.
 
It takes a lot of courage to stand alone. Definitely people expressing unpopular opinions to a wide audience get a fair share of abuse and death threats.

No one said free speech was going to be easy. People who complain about the costs associated with exercising free speech do not understand that basic point.
 
So a friend of mine seems to think that being shunned and ridiculed for his bigoted opinions is a violation of his freedom of speech? So my question is, do you think this is the case? And does freedom of speech trump freedom of association?

The way you have described the situation it sounds like neither you nor your friend understand either constitutional right.
 
No one said free speech was going to be easy. People who complain about the costs associated with exercising free speech do not understand that basic point.

Sadly death threats, abuse, and DOXing are part of the cost.

If my ideas were not accepted by anyone I would shut up. Standing alone is very difficult.
 
So a friend of mine seems to think that being shunned and ridiculed for his bigoted opinions is a violation of his freedom of speech? So my question is, do you think this is the case? And does freedom of speech trump freedom of association?

Is the OP really just a sly attempt at telling us that you finally have a friend?
 
Is the OP really just a sly attempt at telling us that you finally have a friend?

No its the age old story when someone asks about their "friend" they are usually referring to themselves :)
 
No its the age old story when someone asks about their "friend" they are usually referring to themselves :)

Not really -- this is reference to my latest poll. To his credit, spud_meister did not mention SCitizen.

And he is sort of right -- you can not enforce Free Speech in a society where over 50% of people do not support Free Speech.
 
Not really -- this is reference to my latest poll. To his credit, spud_meister did not mention SCitizen.

And he is sort of right -- you can not enforce Free Speech in a society where over 50% of people do not support Free Speech.

Any post from or directed at spud should at first be take with a grain of salt, then sarcastically, then assuming the poster is drunk and only after that perhaps maybe think there might be something that isn't meant to be silly.
 
Any post from or directed at spud should at first be take with a grain of salt, then sarcastically, then assuming the poster is drunk and only after that perhaps maybe think there might be something that isn't meant to be silly.

But here he has a valid and horrible point -- if over 50% of people support are against Free Speech it is hard to enforce it. In a Democracy, the Majority is the Dictator.
 
But here he has a valid and horrible point -- if over 50% of people support are against Free Speech it is hard to enforce it. In a Democracy, the Majority is the Dictator.

In a representative democracy with proper safeguards the majority is not the dictator.
hence the reason constitutions exist.
Not sure what this has to do with anything I or Risky posted though.
Please reread my last post
 
In a representative democracy with proper safeguards the majority is not the dictator.
hence the reason constitutions exist.

It depends on how large and how active The Majority is.
 
So a friend of mine seems to think that being shunned and ridiculed for his bigoted opinions is a violation of his freedom of speech? So my question is, do you think this is the case? And does freedom of speech trump freedom of association?

His free speech trumps yours and others, I think not. Freedoms are equal.
 
So a friend of mine seems to think that being shunned and ridiculed for his bigoted opinions is a violation of his freedom of speech? So my question is, do you think this is the case? And does freedom of speech trump freedom of association?

well, ther'e not much ot go on in this story, so it's kinda hard to tell really,.

in general, the government is proscribed from levying sanction on speech.....though government can act in support of individuals who have had their free speech rights violated by other individuals.

being shunned or ridiculed for speech are valid and legitimate reactions to speech, so there doesn't seem to be any violations.

additionally, the right to freely associate inherently includes the right to freely disassociate....so those whom shunned him are acting in full accordance with their rights.

now, that's the legalities of the matter... and without knowing what the specific speech was in reference to , we'll never really know if the shunning and ridicule were in fact valid reactions on a personal level... or if they were just butthurt they heard something they disagreed with ( which is extremely common, especailly among millennials)
 
So a friend of mine seems to think that being shunned and ridiculed for his bigoted opinions is a violation of his freedom of speech? So my question is, do you think this is the case? And does freedom of speech trump freedom of association?

If 60% of society would not want to be my friends for my opinions then they are worthless to me. If 99% society would not want to be my friends for my opinions then I will be quiet.
 
Freedom of speech is not freedom from critique or freedom from consequence.
 
Back
Top Bottom