Quote:
Originally Posted by Skybird
1917 the US under Wilson released the infamous Espionage Act which widened the definition of "spionage", to allow legal prosecution of wide-spread public opposition to getting the US involved in the war in Europe.
Under Bush, also under Obama, a tight regime was implemented aiming at controlling white house correspondents and to bring them into line with their questions and researches, preventing unwanted information getting published, not to mention the intimidation of reporters by legal threats risen under the cynically so-called "Patriot" Act. Legal rules were introduced that aim at drying out reporter's information sources, to allow that the WH alone defines what the "truth" and what the real "information" is. Manipulation of the flow of information aims at brainwashing and influencing public opinion forming. - Free mind and resulting free speech means little if transparency and unfiltered information is systematically prevented.
Or think of what free speech is worth if somebody's only source of information that he bases his knowledge of political events on, is a manipulating propaganda station like FOX.
The mind using - or being banned from having - freedom of speech, is more profound. And many people today get all day long systematically brainwashed and indoctrinated.
And I do not even go into anonymous social pressure, and social standards that people "voluntarily" submit to and that again manipulate the ways of their thinking.
Freedom of speech is not at the core of it. Like a brush is a tool for the painter, free speech is a tool for the thinking mind. If the painter has no artistic talent, than being free to use brushes as he likes is of no meaning/importance for him, and what a manipulated mind thinks it has to say, is not that important, like a dilettante's painting is just an amateurish scribbling.
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Yes, but your getting off track. I've stated that freedom of speech seems to be more robust in the states than it does in Germany. US does not outlaw the display of any symbols or flags in a public place unless they are a crime as to a physical threat to someone.
We all know that our freedom of speech isn't freedom, but we Americans try to test the limits day to day as we know there is a limit somewhere. The limits change according to place and time. However, the Sumpreme Court is more consistant than other judgements.