Once you allow people to get away with saying anything no matter how atrocious you give them license to try to get away with doing anything they want no matter how outlandish. Why would you do that?

i wouldnt do that

What? Yes, let's get rid of freedom of speech because someone might do something stupid? Unbelievable.

Uh, WHAT?!?!? You're losing it.

The question doesn't define who does the allowing or what constitutes a license.

There's a difference between what is permitted by law, and what occurs psychologically in the human mind.

We can and do set legal limits on both speech and behaviour. We have tried to evolve these laws to permit as much freedom as possible without permitting people to harm each other. We framed the laws loosely around the idea that "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." And then we modified them when we found that words can hurt.

The trouble is that words can do great harm on many levels. I would need to summarise a hell of a lot of research in psychology to show how and why this is so, which I'm not willing to do right now. Some people have a great deal of resiliency: with inner self-talk they can deflect the abusive language of others. Most people are highly vulnerable to continuous verbal assaults from others, especially if they are deliberate and personal. It can and does lead to depression and suicide. Children who grow up being treated with disrespect end up dysfunctional and rarely find their way to recovery. When such treatment is racially motivated, it relegates the victims to all the problems of a second-class position in society. When this is permitted, it leads to more people regarding one group as less than themselves. It's a typical tactic used in war. Soldiers invent derisive names for the enemy. It makes them easier to kill.

Words are powerful.

 Anything Trump says is ok with his supporters.  He has said some very racist/hateful/bigoted/misogynistic things not to mention all the lies he tells all the time. He is still in the stage of saying. If he were to become  prez he would have the power of doing. He made a statement months ago that he could go into the street and shoot someone and he wouldn't lose anyone who supports him. I saw no Trump supporters challenge him on that . He thinks he can get away with anything since he already has. That is my prime example of what I mean hartfire. Thank you for your reply.

Of course you don't . Of course I don't.  But Trump supporters do. Rigidly radical politically partisan people do. As long as it's their guy anything goes no matter what he says. If he were to become Prez anything he did would be way okey dokey with them. ANYTHING! Swell ain't it? . Thank you for your reply excon and Happy July 4th Monday!  :)

Me either pearl. Thank you for your reply and Happy 4th of July Monday! :)

Sort of sounds like Hillary supporters. No matter how much she lies, use her husband to interfere in the investigation, her supporters will still back her, right?

I guess what you mean is that by speaking freely he reveals who he is, and that this acts as a valuable warning to those who will heed it. Unfortunately, Hitler was elected to power in just this way. We need better answers than simply focusing on what people say and whether they should be permitted to say it.

What motivates someone to be racist? In most cases it's fear.The privileged fear the loss of their position and the retribution of those who struggle to survive. The people in poverty fear a further loss of jobs due to competition from immigrants.

Ever since Western economies began using robots and computers, and buying cheaper goods and services overseas, there has been a steady loss of unskilled jobs. The poor are getting poorer.

To dethrone the Trumps of this world, we need to create a lot more jobs, purposeful and decently paid work

Are you talking about Barack Obama when he said you could keep your health plan? Are you talking about the numerous times in which Obama was recorded saying I have no right to grant amnesty to illegal aliens, yet he went onto overide the Constitution with a stroke of his pen. It would literally take me days to list all the unlawful actions and unconstitutional edicts this man has performed. The executive overreach by this despot pales into comparison to what Richard Nixon did as President and he was impeached and removed from office. But you can not speak up against this so-called king. Just ask the conservative tea party citizens who were audited by this rogue administration. Just ask the countless generals who were fired who did not do what they were told. Tyranny is on full throttle and today evil/lies are never held accountable. Truth is a menace and logic is the enemy in America 2016. Agitprop trumps everything.

Yes. Well Trump certainly talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk. He has created zillions of jobs overseas which is where all the Trump lines are manufactured. He says he will bring jobs back to America. Baloney! If he was so hot to trot why aren't all his clothing lines manufactured in America? His supporters will defend that and not see any problem with that which will be forever puzzling to me. Thank you for your reply hartfire! :)

Of course she is not talking about Obama, just another attack on Trump. Since when does the left care for the constitution or freedom of speech?

Hello Rosie:

Well, of course, I DON'T do that for the very reasons you outlined.

excon