Speech? Let's see, we've got the latest CFR laws that restrict speech. Certainly hate crimes restrict speech. Sexual harrassment laws -- watch what you say. Fly the Dixie flag? No.
Then we have anti-speech laws under the anti-establishment laws. Can't say God at commencement ceremonies. Can't display the Ten Commandments. Can't display a Nativity Scene. (But you can display your breasts -- that's protected). "Under God" is under attack.
And those rulings apply to all 50 states. Ain't incorporation great?
The Constitution, to a large degree, is whatever at least five Justices (a majority) interpret it to be at any given time, based on their ideology, and regardless of what the Founders intended or what the citizens expect.
And again:
The 1st Amendment right to free speech is a worthy ideal, but it will never catch on and, in fact, we are steadily moving further away from that ideal. It is being usurped by other laws of the land and by Political Correctness.
Saying what you believe can get you in hot water, can inhibit your career potential, can get you ostracised, can get you fired, can get you sued, can get you labeled as a bigot / hater / intolerant / homophobe / etc, can lose you an election, can scar you for life, can turn you into a "person of interest," can get you dead,......and it's all legal. (The "dead" part may or may not be legal, but it's real.)
So what? Think that law's gonna stand against an as applied challenge? Think again.
Certainly hate crimes restrict speech.
I'm not aware of any hate crimes laws directed solely at speech. Got a cite?
Then we have anti-speech laws under the anti-establishment laws. Can't say God at commencement ceremonies. Can't display the Ten Commandments. Can't display a Nativity Scene.
You make my point. Freedom from establishment has been expanded beyond belief. Expanded. Individuals are still free to do all of the above. You're confusing restrictions on government with restrictions on individuals.
Doesn't matter whether it's great. The 14th requires it, for better or worse. It ain't up to you or me or the Court to pick and choose which parts of the Constitution we're going to ignore and which parts we're going to enforce. Sheez.