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citizens united free speech supreme court floyd abrams freedom of speech soul of the first amendment great read history of the first amendment must read speech rights freedom of the press american government cases federal important corporations discussion concise chapter
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LizA
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for anyone interested in the First Amendment and American journalism - past, present and future.
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2017
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I live in a small New England town, where the Annual Town Meeting is still the centerpiece of local government. One year I brought some Russian (formerly Soviet) generals to observe. When I asked them for their reactions, the first response was, "It was interesting to see so many ordinary people speaking their minds without fear."

This book - in a blessedly few number of pages with great narrative flow...describes the history of the First Amendment and how free speech /free press came to be a defining characteristic of American life only in the last half of the 20th century and early part of the 20th century, That historical narrative then becomes useful background for a very thought provoking discussion of the cases (Snowden, Wikileaks, and the publication thereof) that test the limits of free speech. There is no discussion of the "free speech on college campus" issue, but I'm guessing that's the sequel. Overall, a very worthwhile and interesting book on its own topic and in understanding what makes the U.S. different.
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Mike watkins Jr.
3.0 out of 5 stars If you want to understand the 1st amendment better this is the book
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2020
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1. This early part of this book breaks down the surprisingly short history of the 1s amendment.

What do I mean? Well until the 1900s there wasn't a single major case that really addressed this amendment, and before the 1950s or so the first amendment was essentially useless. Speech and the content of the speech were restricted in schools, media, and the general public to where it was as if the 1st amendment didn't exist.

2. The author proceeds to describe the role of the first amendment, as a tool meant to restrict the government from infringing upon our freedom of speech regardless of the content of that speech (unless it puts people in danger or something like that).

In other words, despite how some feel. the first amendment isn't meant to restrict the speech of people (like KKK members) or restrict the speech of corporations (like the NRA). It's only meant to restrict the amount of well...restrictions the government can place on speech that we give.

3. Floyd Abrams goes on to show us how in countries without a "first amendment" freedom of speech is very very restricted. In fact, in certain countries in Europe, one can make a claim to the European Court or whatever and have information on them removed if it's "not relevant". Interestingly enough a lot of this information removed from the internet and other databases has consisted of various criminal records/ scandals that have proven to be true.

4. Floyd Abrams proceeds to defend the perhaps most hated Supreme Court decision of all time (Plessy vs. Ferguson was liked by many during the day it was decided...it wasn't hated almost universally until decades later), which he ironically he litigated as an attorney.

He makes a compelling argument on behalf of this case centered around his idea that the goal of the first amendment is to restrict the government from being able to restrict speech we give.

A.. He points out that despite popular opinion Citizens vs. United was a case about whether or not a politically engaged group could use funds that were partially funded by corporate contributions, to place on American television a documentary that was harshly critical of a leading candidate for the presidential nomination.

People tend to skip over the context surrounding the case...but if you consider the context/facts you tend to not hate on it as much.

B. He goes on to mention that previous cases have clearly established that corporations have 1st amendment rights and these organizations in previous cases have included News Paper companies and the NAACP.

Would you really want to remove 1st amendment protections from the NCAAP or NewsPapers?....probably not and he claims without this case organizations like these wouldn't be protected fully under the 1st amendment.

I'm not going to go down all the arguments he presented...but yeah and TBH I don't agree with him completely on Citizens V. United...I believe that only organizations that are press related or are organized not for financial gain but to advance issues (like the NCCAP and ACLU) should be recognized as an assembly of persons/ press entities protected by the 1st amendment. But I don't disagree with him as much as others on here do, I believe that the "look beyond the veal" does apply to certain corporations such as the ones I listed.

5. The last 30 pages or so of the book are....eh how do I put this. They are kinda off topic and boring. They focus on whether or not the media should report certain things and how much of an obligation the media has towards the country it works for.

Overall, this is a borderline good book not great though.
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Johnny & Riza
5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling look at First Amendment history and jurisprudence
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2017
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"Justice William O. Douglas, in 1973, stated that 'the struggle for liberty has been a struggle against Government. The essential scheme of our Constitution and Bill of Rights was to take Government off the backs of people.'"

Floyd Abrams has agued important speech cases in the Supreme Court, and provides a deep and loving look at our speech rights in The Soul of the First Amendment: Why Freedom of Speech Matters. It is a short but powerful book on the history of the Amendment and jurisprudence surrounding it.

The smart kids sitting up front already know the controversy surrounding inclusion of a Bill of Rights. Jefferson, in France, was appalled at its omission. Others were not on board:

"Noah Webster, tongue deeply in cheek, suggested that if a list of inalienable rights were to be added to the Constitution, it should include a clause stating that 'every body shall, in good weather, hunt on his own land, and catch fish in rivers that are public property . . . [ and ] that Congress shall never restrain any inhabitant of America from eating and drinking, at seasonable times, or prevent his lying on his left side, in a long winter's night.'"

Madison was won over, and the nation got its most enforceable protections against government.

A great reminder of its importance. Five stars.
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Mike D.
4.0 out of 5 stars Go Ahead, You Can Say It
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2019
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A careful reading of American history shows that the vaunted First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution did not receive much attention from American jurisprudence until the second half of the 20th Century. News media is a much different animal now than in earlier American history so now we speak of the First Amendment frequently.
This author is a Constitutional expert and gives a fine synopsis in this short book of the reasons why the First Amendment is so important to the evolution of the American ethos. He contrasts the strict American adherence to freedom of the press and religion with other democracies and also reviews the important current cases such as Citizens United and the controversies concerning hate speech.
A fine primer on the status and value of the First Amendment.
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Addison Phillips
5.0 out of 5 stars This book changed my mind
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2017
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I found this book to be a clear, concise, and persuasive examination of the role of the First Amendment, particularly the widely reviled "Citizens United" ruling by the Supreme Court. This book changed my opinion on that case and, although I remain concerned about the implications of the ruling, gives me better insight into how to think about speech and freedom thereof.
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