Freedom of Press... a double edged sword

While it is great that everyone has freedom of speech, many do not realize that that freedom is just much a privilege as it is a right. It for this reason that, the First Amendment is constantly abused by the citizens of this nation.

In our society citizens can freely express their opinions regarding almost anything they wish. They are very few restrictions on what someone can say. One restrictions is in airports; passengers are not allowed to say “I have a bomb” or “look fire”. There are few other places in our society that has similar restrictions on what you can say. Other examples of restrictions would include during speeches one cannot say anything that collides with the protections other citizens have. That is why in airports and other public places you can yell things that may put others in danger or collide with their protections granted to them in the same amendment. This is how the simple act of freedom of speech can actually be a double edged sword. Americans can freely say what they want and as long as it doesn’t endanger anyone else, it is by law legal. However just because someone is being legal doesn’t mean they are not hurting others emotionally, socially, or mentally. This freedom can easily if abused hurt others more than it helps our country. For example the general use of obscenities and derogatory statements are allowed by law, however hurtful towards the recipient. Think about how many times a day you hear about someone being derogatory or rude to someone else. It is more than you think.

This whole idea is something we all take for granite; the privilege to freely say what we want without consequences. However this opens the opportunity for many to abuse that privilege and turn something good into a horrible law. We as American’s need to do a better job respecting this law and using the freedom for what it is supposed to be used for and not using it for putting down others.