Free Speech, however, is proscribed in the workplace, the church, the school and the home. As an employee I will fire you if you speak contentiously about me or my business. A teacher requires civility and obedience in the classroom. A church may dismiss a member for speech that is offensive. Mom (or Dad) may wash your mouth with soap if you say that word one more time. Government, however, may not restrict my offensive speech. OTOH blocking traffic is not speech. It is blocking traffic. Rioting is not speech. It is rioting. Deliberately lying about a person you dislike is speech but it is not free. It is slander.
It was always understood, until the Warren Court, that ‘freedom of speech’ meant freedom to criticize government (up to the point of sedition), not freedom to distribute pornography or to defraud others.
Indeed. Ultimately it is the government we are concerned with, but the left will try to muddy the waters with those other examples. Yes, of course, if someone came into my home and used profanities in front of my kids, and refused to stop, I have a right to ask them to leave. Although I consider that as promoting my property rights.
Yes, and slander is an important subject to consider. The courts in the Commonwealth go way beyond objective lies. Even stating a subjective opinion is now still considered slander. Even of public figures. We have seen this numerous times in Canada.