British Board Members, Your Opinion of Free Expression in USA?

I assume this is the right spot on the boards for this question. UK, right?

UK board members, what's your opinion of freedom of expression in the US?

Hate speech is incredibly stupid. But it's protected here. I didn't even hear about Holocaust denial laws until recently. I don't know if you have them, and it's incredibly stupid and incredibly wrong too. But we allow it.

The Nazi salute can get you three years in prison in Germany. And again, only the dumbest of the dumb would do it. But we just ignore them. And that's sometimes more effective believe it or not. You imprison people, people might feel sorry for them. You ignore them, and they generally go away. I'm serious.

And even possessing a swastika. Is that illegal in Germany? It's never been here. Ill-conceived idea, again. But not illegal.

So what's your opinion?

 

Freedom of speech

• “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” ..

The right to hold opinions and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority is often confussed with the right to do so
regardless of frontiers.
In the UK - there are restictions to do so
They include threatening or abusive words or behaviour intending or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress or cause a breach of the peace, sending another any article which has an intent to cause distress or anxiety and incitement:-

• Actions of hate,
• Terrorism
• Indecency (corruption of public morals)
• Restrictions on court reporting including names of victims and evidence and prejudicing or interfering with court proceedings, Harassment, privileged communications, trade secrets, classified material, copyright, patents and military conduct.

In the U.S, the First amendment is somewhat similar, though seems to be more abused with the right of protection to say - and sometimes do - without consequence

In the end People will either show due restraint following consideration or use it an excuse to promote whatever they wish to under the right of protection