The First Amendment is the most important. You can say what you believe is true and not have any consequences as long as you don’t get violent physically. Though we do have “hate speech”. What is hate speech? Does it go against the First Amendment? Does the use of hate speech actually work? 

Hate speech is what the individuals in politics believe is a “violent” way of verbal protest. Hate speech is directed in a threatening or abusive way of speech towards a group of people, religion, or sexual orientation. Though our leaders in politics seem to be ok whenever we aren’t protesting them. But when we are, it gets considered “hate speech” or violent, and they want to take precautions. 

If they were to take away the ability of “hate speech,” then in reality, since we don’t have a great definition of what it is. So, with that fact, they would be cutting into our First Amendment rights. Our freedom of speech is one of the most important things in this country and what makes America so special. Even if during a protest it starts to get offensive, you can not legally stop that person from giving their opinion. With our current U.S. Supreme Court interpretation, government restriction of hate speech violates the First Amendment rights.

Does hate speech actually work? I believe that hate speech is good at spreading the anger of the situation that they are trying to protest, but it has not seemed to be effective when it comes to changing the government. Whenever you want to make a change in the government, they aren’t going to listen to just a type of speech. You would have to start a violent riot to overthrow the ideas of the government.

In the end, the debate over hate speech and the First Amendment comes down to how much freedom a society is willing to protect, even when that freedom is uncomfortable. The United States has chosen to defend speech broadly, including speech that many people find offensive or hateful, because limiting it would open the door to government control over ideas and criticism. While hate speech may stir emotion or amplify frustration, it has little real power to create political change on its own. What truly matters is preserving the right for people to speak freely, even when their words are unpopular.