3 ms·

Free speech is only in reference to government punishment. I can spout off and the government won't punch me in the mouth. The person standing next to me, howev

Free speech is only in reference to government punishment. I can spout off and the government won't punch me in the mouth. The person standing next to me, however, might. I don't understand why we keep expecting private companies to behave like the government.

gruez 5y ago
"free speech" (the idea) =/= "1st amendment" (codified in law). A comment from a few months ago explains it in more words: > I don't think that "common misconception" actually exists at all, that's just a rhetorical defense used by people who are trying to stifle free speech in practice. >Many people want free speech, as a concept, ideal and aspect of living a safe and fulfilling life. When they are being deprived of that right, if they are in the USA, the people depriving them are quick to point out that the first amendment doesn't protect them... but that's completely irrelevant. >As an example, imagine the constitution had a right which said "The federal government will not murder you". Then today, some people are murdering everyone they dislike, and when some people point out "we're afraid of getting murdered and want to live in a society where there isn't murder" and immediately internet commentary is full of people responding "Actually, you only have a right to not be murdered by the federal government, you're confused about how your murder rights work". >It's not that the oppressed are confused about what's written in the Bill of Rights, it's that they care about the underlying ideal in a broad and practical way. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29486077 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29486077
- throwaway684936 5y ago
  The first amendment is popular. True free speech absolutism isn't quite so popular. The average person would agree that slander and libel are bad, for instance.

3 ms·

Free speech is only in reference to government punishment. I can spout off and the government won't punch me in the mouth. The person standing next to me, howev

by BooneJS 5y ago

gruez 5y ago
"free speech" (the idea) =/= "1st amendment" (codified in law). A comment from a few months ago explains it in more words: > I don't think that "common misconception" actually exists at all, that's just a rhetorical defense used by people who are trying to stifle free speech in practice. >Many people want free speech, as a concept, ideal and aspect of living a safe and fulfilling life. When they are being deprived of that right, if they are in the USA, the people depriving them are quick to point out that the first amendment doesn't protect them... but that's completely irrelevant. >As an example, imagine the constitution had a right which said "The federal government will not murder you". Then today, some people are murdering everyone they dislike, and when some people point out "we're afraid of getting murdered and want to live in a society where there isn't murder" and immediately internet commentary is full of people responding "Actually, you only have a right to not be murdered by the federal government, you're confused about how your murder rights work". >It's not that the oppressed are confused about what's written in the Bill of Rights, it's that they care about the underlying ideal in a broad and practical way. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29486077 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29486077
- throwaway684936 5y ago
  The first amendment is popular. True free speech absolutism isn't quite so popular. The average person would agree that slander and libel are bad, for instance.