Is Free Speech Truly Protected in the United States

Is free speech truly protected in the United States, or is it protected only unless it's inconvenient?

Constitutionhelp.com Florida's Civics and Debate Initiative

2 days ago — The 2026 Speech and Debate Championships will be held on April 5 at New College of Florida.

The Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) seeks to expand and enhance civic knowledge and reinvigorate public debate and civil discourse in Florida ...

‘Free speech on trial: silenced America’ exposes the growing crackdown on voices speaking out against injustice in Palestine and beyond. From professors forced out of classrooms and to students arrested under false pretenses, to citizens dragged away for protesting, this powerful documentary reveals how the First Amendment is being selectively applied in the US of 2025.

This documentary uncovers the reality behind the headlines — a reality in which US universities and government institutions increasingly suppress rather than protect political dissent. As US journalist Ryan Grim rightly says: “Telling the public what they deserve to know is not a crime; it is constitutionally protected”. And yet, those who speak out are being punished.

Watch now to discover how the US system is policing speech instead of protecting it.

What founding father of America advocating for "Bind them with the Constitution"?

Google AI Overview

The famous phrase attributed to Thomas Jefferson, "Bind them with the Constitution," is a shortened version of his original quote, which emphasized placing constitutional limits on government power.

Original quote and context
In a draft of the Kentucky Resolutions of 1798, Jefferson wrote: "In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution".

The quote was a response to the Alien and Sedition Acts passed by the Federalist-controlled U.S. Congress, which Jefferson and his Democratic-Republican allies viewed as unconstitutional and tyrannical. He drafted the resolutions to argue for states' rights and a strict interpretation of the Constitution.

Key takeaway
Purpose of constitutional limits: Jefferson believed that written law was necessary to restrict the government's power. By binding lawmakers to the Constitution, he hoped to prevent them from acting on personal ambition or whim, which he considered a path to despotism.

Mistrust of power: The quote reflects Jefferson's inherent mistrust of those in power. He believed that human nature was prone to "mischief" and that the Constitution was the safeguard against this tendency.
Separation of powers: The "chains of the Constitution" are a metaphor for the structural limitations, checks, and balances that the Constitution establishes. These limits prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful.

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