My question is to what extent does freedom of speech really matter to the regular people?
We have all the freedom we want to say whatever we want in our own homes and other private settings.
We have the freedom to choose our own social settings to interact with others, where we know beforehand what the limitations are if there are any.
At the work place our employers have total control on our freedom of speech, we have zero power as to what we can or cannot say in the presence of others.
Out on the streets we are free to say whatever we want, but not without the risk of getting punched in the face if we say something upsetting.
American style freedom of speech has little to do with human rights and everything to do with keeping a front in presenting an super-attractive image to the world, an image that is cleverly disguised under the banner of freedom and democracy.
In America, image appears to be more important than what lies beneath. That's why there are anti-defamation and libel laws, designed to protect an individual's "appearance", which is not entirely based on truth. Unless you're one of the powerful elite or some high profile individual who depends on some image you present to the public to make a living, you probably won't even know these laws exist.
The American people and those in western democracies as a whole are given the impression that freedom of speech is their ultimate source of strength, because it supposedly gives power to the people. They flaunt it, they brag about it, they fight for it, they fight about it, they use it against their enemies to start fights......all to maintain its status, which is basically meant to cause envy to those around the world who don't have it. In fact, the more noise they make about it, the more it becomes evident that it's backfiring in ways which prove they are in fact powerless, because it's viewed by their most radical/extremist opponents as their source of weakness and in turn use that very same freedom of speech to express their hate-mongering views and mobilize the masses. Prime example in our time is Iran's Ahmadinejad and his holocaust denial and tightening the noose on human rights, especially those of women, homosexuals and political activists who dare express disagreement with his regime.
Freedom of speech is designed to give the (American) people the impression that they have a say in matters as is defined in the constitution, that they can say whatever they want, even if it's hurtful to another individual or a specific group of people regardless of intent. In reality, all it is is powerful tool merely designed to equip the elite as a means to exercise power, influence the unsuspecting masses and steer them in whatever direction that serves a purpose, be it political, religious, racial or otherwise. Prime example is the case of radio talk show host
Don Imus.
Hate speech can be a very powerful tool if used to incite violence and mobilize one group of people against another, yet it's not prohibited in America, a country who's horrible record on racism stands out among the rest, along with that of South Africa.
Freedom of religion and anti-discrimination laws don't mean squat as long as hate speech is not regulated and strictly prohibited by law. But I'm afraid if that were to happen, American news media, along with the gossip and entertainment industry would quickly go out of business.
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