So, I'm sure a lot of us live in the United States. If not, well, I hope you're acquainted with the First Amendment, which states that Congress is not to restrict the freedom of speech.

For those who take things literally, speech is not limited to only, well, speaking. It means freedom of expression.

So my question is, to what extent should freedom of expression be limited? Should it be so limited that if one were to speak out against the government, they should get arrested, similar to Stalinist Russia or the Alien and Sedition Acts passed in the United States (but later repealed and/or expired)?

Or should people be able to speak their mind freely no matter what it is? Or maybe just a little restriction, but on exactly what?

If it is rude then no, though rudness can be seen in different ways. The anit isms. Apart from those no.

the biggest restriction on that right is the right itself.

you are free to express your feelings about anything, but others who appose it have the freedom to oppose however they please.

I think people should be able to speak their mind no mather what. People have a choice to listen to those people or not. Anyone should be able to speak their mind racist non-racist, nazi, non-nazi etc...

People don't have to agree but everyone should still be able to show and express their thoughts and others should have the right to oppose those beliefs and thoughts.

This is how I think it should be, cos if you put a restriction to it the freedom is no longer in there.

I could careless what you express as long as it doesn't lead to violence. I'm pretty much a libertarian and believe that government restrictions should only be limited if it harms someone. Whose to say one person's view is higher than another? We're all wrong on some things, and we all have flaws. It's best to have an open mind (though skepticism should never be eliminated from your mind).

Heh, I asked a similar question on Yahoo! Answers too, though I don't think the answers were satisfactory.

I think that all views and opinions should be allowed to be expressed, however unpopular, even fascist or anti-democratic rhetoric, because if we start censoring unpopular beliefs, we start on the slippery slope to tyranny.

As a member mentioned in another thread, if we ban pornography today, how long is it before controversial text files are purged? And how long before articles critical of the government start vanishing?