Freedom of speech worked really well when the largest audience you could get was the people in your local tavern Even then, even before printing presses or

Freedom of speech worked really well when the largest audience you could get was the people in your local tavern Even then, even before printing presses or the written word itself there were major, major limitations. - You were never allowed to "say whatever you like" in the name of committing fraud - You were never allowed to "say whatever you like" in terms of threats; I don't know any society that would tolerate a person standing outside his neighbor's home and screaming death threats - etc. I make this somewhat pedantic point because the idea of "free speech with limits" is not some kind of modern idea that represents a watering-down of the lofty ideals upon which modern nations were founded, which is why many people seem to object to it. There were always necessary limits to free speech; the right to free speech has never trumped other peoples' rights not to be threatened, killed, defrauded, etc.