You are viewing a single comment's thread.

view the rest of the comments →

0
1

[–] Stanley_Yelnats_IV 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

I think the current system the US has in place is the best one: the government cannot restrict the content of your speech (barring things like direct threats and hiring criminals, of course), which means that you can never be thrown in jail or silenced for having the wrong opinions. However, you also have a right to control your own places of business, so if you create one, you can decide what kinds of speech are allowed there.

This system, when combined with a free market, means that the worst censorship that can be imposed upon you is being kicked out of some private business, in which case you can fight back by taking your business elsewhere. Companies are thus kept in check by the knowledge that if they go too far in limiting speech, they'll lose large amounts of business. That's exactly what's happening with a certain other site right now, and I think the system has what it takes to protect free speech as long as people continue to care about it.

0
2

[–] Tanaghrison 0 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago 

This isn't the reality in the United States. A variety of first amendment protections are not extended to businesses, including free speech. Businesses have several viewpoint restrictions imposed on them by the government. These include views on gay marriage, religion, segregation, even smoking. People do not have the right to control their businesses, or to control what kind of speech happens there in the current environment, unless they agree with the regime in power.

0
1

[–] Stanley_Yelnats_IV 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

I agree that those restrictions are unnecessary, but they aren't actually about speech, but service: a business is not required to prevent people in it from saying "I think racial segregation is a good idea," and indeed they are perfectly free to allow or disallow that sort of speech. What they can't do is discriminate on the basis of race when offering services.

0
1

[–] Malphius [S] 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

An interesting and accurate observation.