Why is Freedom of Speech such an important right?

Answer 1

Well, if we didn't have freedom of speech, then we would be all bottle up and pushed down with the government's rule. We would be a communist country, I think. There would be religion forced upon us. We would probably have to have specific guide lines on what to wear. We couldn't say what we wanted to. The government would control our television and radio. The freedom of speech is what keeps this country free. With out it, we would be like North Korea or something like that.

Answer 2

freedom of speech is important to the American way of life because if we didn't have freedom of speech we wouldn't be able to say what we wanted to say and have our own opinion on things and aspects of life.

Answer 3

There are many reasons, but the principal one may be that a self-governing people who elect their government officials must be free to discuss political matters openly and robustly in order to make good decisions about government. This includes the ability to criticize the government when it makes mistakes or violates the Constitution or other laws. Unfettered discussion is one of the best ways to arrive at truth.

Answer 4

Freedom of speech is the fulcrum by which so many other rights a citizen has based on the fact that it is not the rights that governments grant to citizens. Enlightened societies are of the belief that quite the opposite is true. It is the citizens that grant to their governments the laws they are expected to follow and protect the citizens.

Freedom of speech is a key right that citizens have. With free speech, citizens and their media, such as newspapers and TV can petition the government and sway public opinion to have other rights. As an example. Suppose a government has created a law that the only religion allowed in that particular nation is the XYZ religion.

With the freedom of speech, citizens can petition changes in that policy, have peaceful demonstrations, and call for the election of new leaders.

To support the importance of freedom of speech as the most vital one. let's suppose the government allows for any peaceful religion to be created and have members. But there, as Abraham Lincoln once said concerning slavery, yes but there's the rub or the "friction". Members of the new church have no freedom of speech. Changes in laws become dependent on the government and no freedom is allowed to dispute or alter such a law. One last example, as the writer here could write a book on this. If slavery was established by a government or slaves were imported for this use. Who can protest it if there is no freedom of speech?