Is there true "Freedom of Speech" in the US or is it regulated and infractions punished by society (shunning), etc?

Similar questions: true Freedom Speech regulated infractions punished society shunning.

I think there is not a clear cut case of freedom of speech in the US. Look at what happens to people who speak out against the president. Or, what would happen if the most qualified person in this country to be the president admitted to being athiest, or even worse some other religion that a spawn of judeo-catholicism.

Where whould his/her election chances go? .

US politicians are leading examples to that. And they even get punished by columnists & bloggers everywhere. With regards to "freedom of speech," the phrase exists but it is still restricted.

There are things that are prohibited to be announced or declared in public like destroying or defaming other people. But to politicians, that becomes usual to them unless being attacked intently below the belt. But some even happens even to Bill Clinton, to Bush, etc.And no one ever gets punished.

In Philippines, I will cite to you our president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. I hope you won't mind. Have you heard that issue when she was interviewed by one of the TV reporters about whether she has time of having sex?

When she answered "plenty", that shook the whole Philippines. But for me, as a person and human also, she has the right to freedom of speech but as a public figure and imagine, being a president of the country to mention that she has "plenty" of sex then that issue becomes a taboo to people when in fact, it's normal for her as a married individual.So far, I haven't heard from US public figures being deprived from his/her property. Maybe there are some but they're punished for just a short span of time by public judgment (trial by publicity) and after that, it's gone and another hot story is on the spotlight.

And since we are in our new and modern age now, that public humiliation seems too ordinary. Anyway, it will eventually pass away with the passage of time and no one gets really punished for doing so unlike before that you'll get stoned and get hanged. Sources: OWN OPINION.

1 You have freedom of speech. We have freedom to ignore you.

You have freedom of speech. We have freedom to ignore you.

JayD replied to post #1: 2 I like that PamPerdue but that isn't what I am talking about... I am talking about when a person... say a Radio Personality expresses their opinion and it is just plain stupid, its their opinoin and it is not a favorable one, or it is a simple slip of the toung and the haven't broken any written laws but are still punished by society. They are ostracized... maybe they get their job taken from them until they show contrition and beg for forgiveness then they are given their jobs back to continue on as half the person they once were. That is what I mean... My arguement is that there is no true Freedom of Speech in the USA because there is a institutionalized system of punishment for those that break its unwritten law of mention of taboo issues.

I like that PamPerdue but that isn't what I am talking about... I am talking about when a person... say a Radio Personality expresses their opinion and it is just plain stupid, its their opinoin and it is not a favorable one, or it is a simple slip of the toung and the haven't broken any written laws but are still punished by society. They are ostracized... maybe they get their job taken from them until they show contrition and beg for forgiveness then they are given their jobs back to continue on as half the person they once were. That is what I mean... My arguement is that there is no true Freedom of Speech in the USA because there is a institutionalized system of punishment for those that break its unwritten law of mention of taboo issues.

PamPerdue replied to post #2: 3 It's the same principle at work. They're free to speak, but their employer does not have to hire them or give them access to their equipment. If they say things that drive away audience or advertisers, they get fired.

They're still allowed to say it; they just don't get a microphone any more.Now... radio is a special case. There is limited space on the airwaves, and the government regulates who is allowed access to them so that they can be used for "the public good". The audience is funneled into a relatively few channels, restricting their ability to ignore things they don't like, and also giving broad access for children to speech that their parents can't control.

The same goes for TV. But cable TV and internet radio are unrestricted because they don't suffer that technological limitation. At this point the technology exists to eliminate it from radio, too, with wideband broadcasts, but the people who own the spectrum are very happy with the rules the way they are.

It's the same principle at work. They're free to speak, but their employer does not have to hire them or give them access to their equipment. If they say things that drive away audience or advertisers, they get fired.

They're still allowed to say it; they just don't get a microphone any more.Now... radio is a special case. There is limited space on the airwaves, and the government regulates who is allowed access to them so that they can be used for "the public good". The audience is funneled into a relatively few channels, restricting their ability to ignore things they don't like, and also giving broad access for children to speech that their parents can't control.

The same goes for TV. But cable TV and internet radio are unrestricted because they don't suffer that technological limitation. At this point the technology exists to eliminate it from radio, too, with wideband broadcasts, but the people who own the spectrum are very happy with the rules the way they are.

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.