I. Introduction

• Library: Municipal Law Deskbook (ABA) (2015 Ed.)

I. INTRODUCTION

The drafters of the Constitution used the First Amendment to express a powerful limit on governmental action: "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech . . . ."¹ As noble and strong as the words and intent behind the First Amendment are, the First Amendment has evolved to be a more nuanced concept. While the overarching rule contained in the First Amendment is that government cannot restrict speech solely because of the ideas expressed, in application, individual...