FREEDOM OF SPEECH Toshi: You cant go outside looking like that! What are you thinking?

Celeste: Im exercising my right of free speech. Ive put on these clothes and painted my body this way to protest the treatment of women. I want to send a message. Toshi: Youre crazy if you think people are going to take you seriously. What youre wearing is offensive and those messages painted on your body are hate speech. Celeste: Its my basic human right to a freedom of expression, and this is how I choose to express myself. Toshi: There are limits to free speech and expression, and youve crossed the line. In fact, youre abusing those rights. Obscenity and hate speech arent protected, you know. Celeste: If you feel so strongly about it, I have a suggestion for you. Toshi: What? Celeste: You can express your free speech by protesting against me. After all, its your inalienable right. Toshi: Im not wasting my time. Hey, youre not really going outside looking like that, are you? Celeste: You know what they say: The medium is the message. And Im sending my message loud and clear!

Vocabulary To exercise = to use your legal ability or rights Right of free speech = your legal right to say what you want; the freedom to speak Youre crazy = youre not thinking properly To take you seriously = to treat as if your ideas are important To protest = to fight against something; to express disagreement To send a message = to communicate ideas to someone else Offensive = something that hurts other peoples feelings; make someone else mad or hurt. Hate speech = things you should not say because they are so offensive to other people, especially language directed at someones race, sex, ethnicity, etc.

Human right = something everyone should be allowed to do Basic = fundamental Freedom of expression = freedom of speech; can also mean your clothing or actions Express myself = communicate what I feel Limits = restrictions Crossed the line = to go too far; to go beyond what you are allowed to do Abusing = to use something for the wrong purpose; to hurt someone in some way Obscenity = actions or words that are concerned very rude or offensive, especially sexual Protected (under the law) = allowed to do something; not protected: not allowed Feel strongly = have a definite opinion Inalienable = something that cannot be taken away from a person (alienate = to estrange) The medium is the message = the way a message is communicated affects the message (she is sending her message by the way she is dressed) Loud and clear = everyone can understand; easy to understand

The Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights is the name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. These amendments serve to protect the natural rights of liberty and property. Natural and legal rights are two types of rights. Natural rights are rights not dependent upon the laws, customs, or beliefs of any particular culture or government, and therefore universal and inalienable. In contrast, legal rights are those bestowed onto a person by a given legal system. The Bill of Rights amendments guarantee a number of personal freedoms, limit the government's power in judicial and other proceedings, and reserve some powers to the states and the public. The Bill of Rights plays a key role in American law and government, and remains a vital symbol of the freedoms and culture of the nation. Amendment I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.