1. First Amendment – Freedom of Speech What Can and Cannot Be Said in America Today

2. What Is Considered Speech? Pure Speech – verbal expression of thought Written Speech – individual display of speech, often through signage Symbolic Speech – unspoken speech, often done through use of symbols or actions to convey meaning

3. What Kind of Speech IS NOT Protected? #1 – Speech that advocates illegal action – seditious speech that creates a “imminent danger” #2 – Speech that encourages or initiates violence – “fighting words” #3 – Commercial speech – advertisements and sales offer less Constitutional protections #4 – Obscenities – this includes student speech in the school or at a school sponsored event #5 – Defamatory speech – slander (spoken) or libel (written) words that damages a person’s name

4. What Does the Constitution Protect a Citizen From? A citizen may not be arrested for their speech BUT… You may be fired from your job or dismissed from an interest group because of what you say Miss USA, Carrie Prejean was fired due to her outspokenness against gay marriage