Opinion
Clarifying Free Speech
By Henry Shi | October 15, 2003To the Editor: N. Alex Tonelli, in his Oct. 13 column "Social Engineering at its Worst," writes: "It is blatantly unconstitutional to deem speech inappropriate simply based on the offensive nature it might contain" [sic]. Setting aside the question of whether speech can possibly contain some innate "nature," one notices immediately two things wrong with the quoted statement. First, the free speech clause of the First Amendment prohibits the government (Congress, and later by extension the states as well) from passing laws abridging freedom of speech.