Freedom of Speech
America is supposed to be the land of dreams, where anything is possible. At least this is what is implied on the base of the Statue of Liberty While America provides countless opportunities for its citizens many still argue that our rights are often not honored. By exploring these concepts, one can gain a better understand of the pros and cons of America’s freedom of speech (Sanders).
Freedom of Speech cases can sometimes be difficult to determine in a legal sense, as they must be analyzed on a case by case basis (Sanders). Strict scrutiny applies to the prohibition of fundamental rights. In order for this process to take place there must be compelling evidence that this expression is harmful to society (Spalding). By using the IRAC Formula, on can better analyze legal situations like this one. IRAC stands for Issue, Rule, Analysis, and Conclusion. This method helps make analyzing legal situations easier by breaking them down into step by step basis. I think this would be helpful in determining if Ice T is protected under freedom of speech or if his form of personal expression is harmful to society.
In the case of Ice T’s song “Cop Killer”, the artist is within his rights to express his thoughts through his music. In order for the song to be banned or censored one would have to prove (with very compelling evidence) that the song was in deed harmful to society (Sanders). One would have to prove that the song contributed to an increase in violence against police officers, this would be very difficult to do as there may be many other factors that contribute as well (Spalding).
In conclusion, I do not believe that there is enough rational evidence for the censorship of freedom of speech in this case. Perhaps the most important right we have as Americans is our ability to vigilantly assert our political rights and civic responsibilities, this includes freedom of speech!
Sanders, MJ. "Is America Becoming More Unequal?." Socyberty. N.p., 15 10 2009. Web. 8 May 2012.
Spalding, M. "What Makes America Exceptional ." Renewing American Leadership. N.p., 2012. Web. 8 May 2012.
