The issue of the "Right of Free Speech" is one between the gorverned and their govt.

[Bonobo]

It has nothing to do with someone telling someone to shut up in a restaurant, stealing a koran in the park or shushing people at the movie theater.

It is an issue of the people vs. the organs of government.

Why are people reducing the issue of freedom of speech and simultaneously conflating the issue of the skateboard dude?

The govt. must be held to the highest standard of maintaining and allowing freedom of speech, but the issue does not reduce to the level of a few people.

I am not under any responsibility to consider the issue of free speech if I tell a jerk in the mall to stop saying Obama is a muslim, but a newspaper might have to consider the issue from a larger POV.

[Warren DeMontague]

1. No, but if you steal someone's book, in most places, that's against the law.

'course, in lots of places you can't start an open fire, too.

[Bonobo]

2. Fine but that doesn't make it a "free speech" issue.

So let's get that straight at least.

[rpannier]

3. Agreed

I find it disturbing how many people think the right to free speech applies everywhere they go
If you tell your employer to go "F*** yourself!" He'll fire you.

If you own a business and you tell a client they're a moron at their establishment, they'll drop you and have you removed from their premises

If you spew stuff in someone else's house and they don't like it, they can throw you out

[meowomon]

4. Agreed

This was a one on one non event that is being conflated by some as a free speech issue. Sure the sk8erboi shouldn't have done it, but I thought it was funny and courageous. It is a matter between two individuals, not between the state and an individual.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Doesn't say anything about individual people.