Do we really have freedom of speech, expression, etc. in the US?

[Ƨσρнιɛ]

I'm thirteen (almost fourteen), and I have really noticed that people don't really have freedom of speech, etc. in my eyes. They tell you that you have freedom of speech, but frown upon something they don't like/ try pressuring you into not doing something. In school some teachers tell us that the US is the best country and I find it quite strange that they would tell children that in schools. Schools have ridiculously strict, unnecessary rules. Last year, someone wore a shirt with a cheeseburger on it and it said "Eat Me" so the guy got called down to the office and told he had to flip it inside out. I live in New Jersey, and they make it so that schools can get students in trouble for things that happen outside of school (on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Tumblr. etc.) or if a fight happens. In schools they teach us that we have freedom of speech and then take it back and say "you're under 18 so you don't have any rights". I'm just wondering, do we really have this freedom, and what do you believe?
I'm not saying that you should scream fire in a movie theater, I'm just wondering people's points of views/if they feel pressure too

[idoubtit2]

As long as you are not stepping on someone else's rights or inciting anybody to do unlawful acts!!!

[Mr.Wise]

People don't have free speech anywhere.
You wont find peace on Earth.
This world is not out to help humans
This world is falling apart

What can you do?


Invest your future in temporary things on Earth?

Or

Invest your future on something Eternal? something that's actually truth.

Jesus Christ said "I am the way the truth and the life"


Seek the kingdom of GOD my friend, time is short.

[thankfulflower248]

children in public school have more limits on their free speech than adults ... probably because they don't understand the power or the implications, and are not legally liable for the damage ...

[Mercuri]

You do have Freedom of Speech, but it's not completely unrestricted freedom of speech. For instance, you cannot shout "FIRE!" in a crowded theater if there is no fire.

Political speech is the most protected, followed by artsy speech. Vulgarity is the least protected. However, I think your school is very must stupid for censoring such things. I'm sure if you contested it in court, you'd probably win. But that's the thing, Freedom of speech often as to be fought for as freedom of speech was designed to protect unpopular speech.

[Iman]

Yes and i personally think it should be limited because people are not ass holes and full of hatred cursing and bullying each other and in order to stop bullying these rights need to be limited because they have lost their trust in handing it. Go ahead shower me dislikes it's true and you all know it.

[ANDRE L]

It appears that you do not understand what freedom of speech really means. There is a legal saying that freedom of speech does not include yelling 'Fire!' in a crowded place, if there is no actual fire.

Because speech often has *consequences*, such as slander and libel laws.

Beyond that, as one answer already said, until you're an actual adult, you don't have adult rights, because you are not deemed capable of handling them. So, you cannot, at age 13 or 17, sign a legal contract, and be held liable for it's clauses. Come 18, you can, and if you default on the contract, you WILL be sued for that act.

- Will: Sharon, the NEA is a loser. Yeah, it accounts for a penny out of our paycheck, but he gets to hit you with it any time he wants. It doesn't cost money, it costs votes; it costs airtime, column inches. You know why people don't like liberals? Because they lose. If liberals are so f*cking smart, how come they lose so godd*mn always?
Sharon: Hey!
Will: [to Lewis] And with a straight face, you're gonna tell students that America's so star-spangled awesome, that we're the only ones in the world who have freedom? Canada has freedom, Japan has freedom, the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Australia, Belgium has freedom. [laughs] So 207 sovereign states in the world, like a hundred and eighty of them have freedom.
Moderator: Alright–
Will: And yeah, you, sorority girl. Just in case you accidentally wander into a voting booth one day, there's some things you should know, and one of them is, there's absolutely no evidence to support the statement that we're the greatest country in the world. We're 7th in literacy, 27th in math, 22nd in science, 49th in life expectancy, 178th in infant mortality, 3rd in median household income, number 4 in labor force, and number 4 in exports. We lead the world in only 3 categories: number of incarcerated citizens per capita, number of adults who believe angels are real, and defense spending, where we spend more than the next 26 countries combined. 25 of whom are allies. Now, none of this is the fault of a 20 year old college student. But you, nonetheless, are without a doubt a member of the worst period generation period ever period. So when you ask, "what makes us the greatest country in the world?" I don't know what the f*ck you're talking about. Yosemite? [Pause] We sure used to be. We stood up for what was right. We fought for moral reasons. We passed laws, struck down laws for moral reasons. We waged wars on poverty, not poor people. We sacrificed, we cared about our neighbors. We put our money where our mouths were. And we never beat our chest. We built great big things, made ungodly technological advances, explored the universe, cured diseases, and we cultivated the world's greatest artists and the world's greatest economy. We reached for the stars, acted like men. We aspired to intelligence, we didn't belittle it, it didn't make us feel inferior. We didn't identify ourselves by who we voted for in our last election. And we didn't... we didn't scare so easy. We were able to be all these things, and to do all these things, because we were informed. By great men, men who were revered. First step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one. America is not the greatest country in the world anymore. [Pause] Enough?- The Newsroom, HBO, episode 1.

[Old Timer Too]

If you do your research, you'll find that all of the "freedoms" allegedly guaranteed by the first amendment have restrictions. These aren't dress standards, which you essentially asked about (when the kid was told to flip his "eat me" shirt), but the actual "freedom" to do something.

Keep in mind that there is a very big difference between a freedom and a license to do something. You don't have the freedom to drive a vehicle unless you have a license.

And, the so-called freedoms are not that as much as they are restrictions that are placed on the legislatures. Look at the first amendment and in there, you will see the words, "Congress shall pass" and so on.

You'll eventually explore this more fully in your education, but for now, accept it for what it is worth. The adults of the world (i.e., those older than you) control what you can and cannot do. And, as long as you are not an adult (in the eyes of the law), you are restricted even moreso that the restrictions that apply to the first amendment "guarantees" of freedom.

I know you don't want to hear that, but that's the way it is. Obviously, not everyone will agree, but it certainly is true of the United States.

[Slewin]

The first admedmnet says all americans have freedom of speech so go goole it and yes basicly you can tell your teacher to fu... off cause thats your right. so if someone tells you cant say this or that wtf you are probaby born there im on a diffrent contnent and know you can say wtf you want to whom or what ever you please ....... mean things good bad what ever... so do what suits you..... have nothing against it speak what you think is you....