The divine omnipotent censor desired by free speech opponents doesn’t exist

Published May 2, 2018 7:42pm ET



“FIRE!”

That’s it, you’ve heard it. If shouted in a crowded theater with the intent to cause unnecessary harm, this is the only combination of words that can be justifiably censored by law — at least according to the Supreme Court in Schenck v. United States . (Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote that a defendant’s speech in opposing the draft during World War I was not protected free speech under the First Amendment).

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