Freedom of Speech

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I had a friend of mine link to a news story where it said the Trump administration changed the law or something to redefine domestic violence and getting rid of verbal abuse as part of punishable offenses or something. My friend was outraged, but someone posted on her thread saying it was a good thing, we have freedom of speech in this country. I posted my opinion saying in some cases words and yelling can hurt just as much as bullets.... The guy went off on me! Saying stuff like words don't hurt people and that I didn't understand freedom of speech and I need to leave the country, etc... I said we have the right to bear arms but we don't have the right to shoot anyone we want to.

Anyway, it's an interesting topic, does freedom of speech give you the right to say ANYTHING to ANYONE? Even if it was something like a guy threatening a woman with death and screaming at her to control her? (He said that fell under freedom of speech)

- "xkcd" #1357, by Randall Munroe

Defending one's opinion by citing 'Free Speech' is an admission of irrelevancy, because the most compelling defense one may have for that opinion is that it is not illegal to express it.

Sure, it's not illegal, but neither is it relevant.

The guys argument said that you can't arrest people for their words, even if the "words" are death threats, verbal abuse in a domestic violence situation, etc...

Well, of course there ARE laws against assault, "Communicating a Threat", libel and slander. Under these laws, the intent weighs as much as the words themselves.

Although I have to say that I have never met a verbally abusive person who did not eventually resort to physical violence, as well.

"Violent words reveal a violent mind."

This person thought those type of laws we're unconstitutional.

Incitement, slander, libel, threats etc. are already illegal, and don't really fall under freedom of speech, no.

That being said, I think you should think very carefully before equating verbal assault and physical violence, lest you open the door for a valid claim of self-defence with physical violence.


For instance, imagine this situation, but the guy punched her right in the face.



and claimed self-defence, because "words and yelling can hurt just as much as bullets".

Verbal abuse is still abuse. It covers irrational and sexist rules, and financial abuse. This sort of thing is defended by religious fundies who think that men should be dominant over women. It's an immoral position, and I wouldn't expect any better from the likes of Pence and Trump.

Even free speech absolutists accept the criminalisation of harassing speech and speech intended to incite violence.