The first amendment sought to protect the freedom of speech and expression. It gave way for the citizens to air out their views and make their opinions known no matter the environment or situation. Under the first amendment, speech is entirely protected, and anyone restricting it is liable to face the law.
The amendment is a necessary installation in the constitution to enhance equality in expression (Barnet & Bedau, p.70). However, this needed sense of balance comes at the expense of the comfort of every other citizen. With the protection of speech in place, some people always tend to handle carelessly and talk about sensitive issues that are bound to cause an uproar in the public domain. In a way, such careless utterance disrupts the peace in the environment thus it’s a major loophole in the speech protection law (Barnet &
...Bedau, p.69).
Therefore, as much as the first amendment forms a precedence for equality in the population, individual statements by the common cause emotional harm to others and might even lead to violence.
Limits should, therefore, be introduced in the protection of speech to ensure that no one makes reckless statements that cause emotional upheavals to the public. For instance, in the public domain, a person can choose whether to listen to or participate in any speech propagation bad or good. However, in the private sphere, the privacy of individual have to be respected, and if they do not want to engage in such speeches, then they should be forced to endure the bruising effect of some speeches. Therefore, restrictions should be enhanced to limit speeches to the public domain where individuals participate by choice (Barnet &
Bedau, p.65).
Restrictions should also suffice in some institutions in the public domain like institutions of higher learning. It would make sure that they enjoy the peace, and every student is comfortable to learn and train without going through such experiences that could disorient them especially the minority groups.
Work Cited
- Barnet, Sylvan, and Hugo A. Bedau. Current issues and enduring questions : a guide to critical thinking and argument, with readings. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2014. Print.
