WWW: Beyond the Basics

5. Freedom of Speech

5.2. Defining Freedom of Speech

The Bill of Rights First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America reads as follows (National Archives, 1996):

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
Once again the important part (for this discussion):
"Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech..."
The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 defined what constituted human rights for the citizens of the world (Amnesty International, 1994). Article 19 of that document addresses the right to freedom of expression:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. "
The ability of citizens of the US to speak freely is a right guaranteed by the document that defined the country over 200 years ago. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been written into the constitutions of numerous countries throughout the world, and is commonly held as the standard for such issues. By these two major statements, all democratic societies, and all societies of the world to one degree or another, have similar provisions for their peoples to speak their mind as they so desire.

So, theoretically, free speech is guaranteed to anyone the world over.

If only it were so simple.

[PREV][NEXT][UP][HOME][VT CS]

Copyright © 1996 Mike McGee, All Rights Reserved

Mike McGee <mmcgee@vt.edu>
Last modified: Thu Nov 27 13:13:33 1996