Protecting Free Speech, by using Restrictions?
It is undeniable that the citizens of Malaysia have been granted the freedom of speech, assembly and association, as stated in the Act 10 of the Federal Constitution. Quoted from the Federal Constitution, every citizen has the right to free expression and speech. However, freedom of speech is an issue which has been discussed and argued for a long time, not only in Malaysia but all around the world. It is discussed that how “free” a speech can be. Does freedom of speech mean that we can simply talk something bad about the ruler without any evidence? Liberty (2014) defines that the freedom of speech includes the right of every citizen in communicating and expressing in any medium, holding opinions, receiving information & ideas and participating in demonstration and protest without the interference of the country or government.
Although by judging solely from the definition, political expression which covers the matters of public interest seems acceptable, it is undeniable that under the Act 10 of the Federal Constitution, clause 2 has stated that the parliament can impose law to restrict the freedom of speech. Such restrictions are said to protect the security of Malaysia, privileges of Parliament and the public order. Besides, Art 10 (4) also stated that the law can restrict the questioning of any matter, status, privilege and sovereignty. InterNations (2014) has also explained that there are also limitations of civil freedoms
Freedom of speech is a very liberal amendment. Words used in the past are as of the present considered inappropriate, and if used by a person in public office may cause his or her position. It is very assuring to know that if a person disagrees with something or someone in a higher power position, he or she has the right to say or do something about it without fear. Freedom of speech has been discussed, examples given, and views mentioned. Let freedom ring (Let Freedom Ring, Inc., 2010).
“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear” (George Orwell). Whether the opinion is of extreme offense or not, censorship is not the answer nor is the limitation of the freedom of speech. Emerging the truth, can only be possible through the opposition of ideas, thus with no boundries, the full protection of freedom of speech is a necessary quality of any society.
Freedom of speech is the balance between personal liberty & government authority. Free speech started & began when the settlers came over to the United States from Europe & made the original British colonies (Freedom Of Speech, 2014). Because of this right being made, having the liberty of free speech means that an individual or the press have the absolute right to talk or express their opinions freely (Freedom Of Speech, 2014).
Free speech is the backbone that holds democracy together. Without a free speech, ideas would not be challenged, governments would not be kept in check, and citizens would not be free. John Stuart Mill said once that, “If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person then he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.”( Roleff, 21). The right to free speech is essential to “egalitarian democracy,”(Tsesis) however, this right is not absolute and must be limited in certain situations.
Freedom of speech gives people The right to free speech, which is one of the most precious rights an individual has as a citizen of the United States of America. This right gives people the opportunity to speak their mind and give their opinions of what they think should happen. These rights have been questioned and exercised throughout history and have produced extremely positive things in a lot of cases. The questioning of these rights are
Free speech has long been recognized as a common law right, in the political arena of Australia, free speech concept has its implication in the constitution, but in other cases, it is not provisioned to have constitutional protection. In England, article 10 states that everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without State interference. However, there are some limitation of the right, if deteriorated national security, public safety, cause crime or harm other's reputation. Because Australian has the subordinate relationship with England, Australia has been greatly
Free speech is by far the most commonly recognized freedom in our everyday lives. The freedom of speech allows us to voice our own opinions without the severe repercussions of some countries. It allows us to say what we really feel and helps us learn how to communicate in true and meaningful ways. Along with this freedom, we must remember that there are limits to this freedom. While being arrested “you have the right to remain silent” and anything you say can be used against you in court. This freedom is not one to be taken for
Free speech is one of our most precious liberties, however courts decide the limits of free speech. The Freedom of speech is the right to give an opinion and to express yourself without interrupting or make other uncomfortable with your words. The freedom of speech does not required only word you can speak with your action or when you are singing.
Everyone is born free in this world and those are only the situations in which they are born, that make one slave or the ruler. In spite of social status and the economic standing of a being everyone wants and should be allowed to express their views, feelings and ideas. It is in nature of humans to experience the wonders of the world and to have the urge to observe and think about the wonders and express the ideas in a certain ways. Another thing that is also certain about the nature of the people that different people look at the same thing in different ways. American constitution is the one that respects the people and about the views and ideas of the people and their right to live and express their ideas freely. The constitution that was made by our fathers not only discusses the issues that are pertaining on collective level, but also, about the common issues and concerns of the people and one of them is freedom of speech. It is also the right of every free person in this world to have freedom of speech and to have his own personal standing. Constitution of United States also considers the right of the people to play their part and have their own view about everything that is happening around them and gives them the right to express them. This paper is also focused on the issue of freedom of speech, but, is targeted to how this right is being guaranteed and exercised at workplaces.
Freedom of speech usually refers to a citizen's right to the expression and distribution of their opinions. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights defines freedom of speech as a human right, stating that "Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference". It also states that all people have the right to express and share these opinions and exchange information through any medium of communication they choose. It is important that speech and expression of speech be distinctly defined, as the method of expression can be very subjective. For example, free speech in the United States has two limitations; disruption of the peace and incitation of violence. If the speech, or manner of expression of that speech is causing a stir in an otherwise peaceful area or group of people, the speaker can be legally "censored" by the police.
On that note, we must ask ourselves this: how free is freedom of speech allowed to be? Free enough to voice an opinion but restraining
On this world today free speech has been a standout amongst the most battled after rights in the United Conditions of America. The right to speak freely was received on December 15, 1791. The right to speak freely is secured by the main correction in the Constitution of United States, which is the privilege to explain one’s suppositions and thoughts without dread of government countering or control, or societal endorse. Free discourse is imperative in the public arena since we are allowed to create as individuals and end up noticeably mindful of what is happening around us. The right to speak freely played an extremely vital part in how and our identity today and is the principle motivation behind why we
With freedom of speech can come violence, a common reason for nations and governments to deny this right. Some societies, such as Singapore, agree that by enforcing certain laws that abide the government keep said nation “orderly and relatively crime-free” (Reyes, par. 3). Freedom of speech can also mean
Free speech should not be restricted. The first amendment gives the right for anyone to say whatever he or she wants, whenever they want and guarantees us the privilege to speak our minds without limitations. Our right to free speech is one thing that sets the United States apart from any other country. Since September 11, 2001 all
Freedom of speech is limited in almost every area of a person's life. For instance, a tennis player will be fined heavily during a tennis tournament if he expresses himself with foul language on the tennis court. This obviously curtails the right of the tennis player to express himself freely, but it protects the decency of the spectators because certain forms of language are not proper for some situations. If a person goes to the movies and begins to carry on a conversation it is most probable that security will ask him to leave the theater. By restricting his freedom of speech, the movie theater has protected the right of the person who went to enjoy a movie. The American courts have stated that the freedom of speech would not protect a man from falsely yelling "fire" in a theater and so creating a clear and present danger (Stone, Seidman). Therefore, the freedom of speech cannot be abused.