Summary Of Free Speech Follies By Stanley Fish

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The first amendment is being abused by more people now than ever before. People like to shout, “First Amendment” when they find themselves in a controversial situation because of certain things they wrote or spoke about. People are being less responsible for their actions and are blaming the constitution for their slip-ups. In “Free-Speech Follies” by Stanley Fish, Fish addresses the First Amendment issue. Fish claims that people use the First Amendment to try to get themselves out of trouble or criticism and that they need to start being responsible for their actions and need to start having a sense of judgment. Fish uses various examples that support claims. He puts the Daily Illini, a college student newspaper” to shame as they try to use …show more content…

They specifically said, “"we are committed to giving all people a voice"; second, that, given this commitment, "we print the opinions of others with whom we do not agree"; third, that to do otherwise would involve the newspaper in the dangerous acts of "silencing" and "self-censorship"; and, fourth, that "what is hate speech to one member of a society is free speech to another."” Fish said that their four claims were wrong. It goes to show that the newspaper editors are not being responsible and have a bad sense judgment. They need to start having self-censorship and need to stop being biased on the articles they choose to put up in their newspapers. It is clear that they are being biased otherwise they would give the KKK, advocates of slavery, and other groups “the voice” as Fish

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