What did freedom of speech mean to the founding fathers?

Christine What they meant by that term was, quite literally, the freedom to speak, to stand up, in public, and express your ideas orally so that others could hear them. They did not mean artworks, or striptease dances or any of the other things that modern courts have read into that simple phrase Michael Montagne Answer I would add to the previous answer that the founding father's had (legally) been prevented from speaking out against the King and his rulings. The freedom of speech concept, I believe, was specifically developed to protect speech and ideas which were critical of the government and its policies.In other words, it protected the right of the war protesters during the Vietnam era to publicly oppose the war.

I agree that the freedom of speech amendment was not designed to protect pornographers. It is a protection of political rights not a protection of smut Answer You are both missing one very important point. Offensive expression is exactly what needs protecting!

It is the only speech that needs protection. No one is complaining about non-offensive speech. If you are going to allow censorship of any form then you have to give the government the ability to decide what they feel is offensive.

How easy is that power abused? This abuse by the government is exactly what the founding fathers want to prevent by freedom of speech. How long before some forms of religious or political speech would becomed offensive and censored?

You also have to realize that by living in a free society you are going to be exposed to things and people that may be offensive to you. The point is that everyone has different ideas about what is offensive.Do you honestly want to give someone else the power to decide what is acceptible for you? If you don't like something then don't listen to it or buy it - don't tell me what I can or cannot do.

I thought 1984 had come and gone and we were lucky enough to have avoided having Big Brother control us Answer Did the founding fathers also believe that freedom of speech should protect discourse that emboldens enemies of the state during times of war? Answer I think that the founding fathers never intended people to abuse their right to express them selves Answer I think that the founding fathers intended the words freedom of speech to be exactly what they mean but not for people to abuse the way they use that freedom becuase over time people began to use foul language that even children today are using people in america have the right to say what they want no matter what it is.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.