Originally Posted by
May90
Unrestricted free speech is like unrestricted freedom of movement, unrestricted freedom of action, unrestricted freedom of economy, etc.: it doesn't work in the modern society. If you make speech completely free, you will have crazies standing on central squares, chanting, "Death to the whites/blacks", inciting violence. You will have military people revealing classified information to the press for a reward. You will have jerks say things that will make everyone else's skin crawl on a daily basis. I can go on and on...
In a more progressive society, it would work. As it stands, there are too many things a lot of people are willing to do, if given the freedom, that will destabilize the society. It is not about cowardice, it is about pragmatism.