The 1ST protects all people from government interference in free speech.
Laws against assault and murder are supposed to protect your speech otherwise.
It is true people can refuse to associate with you,condemn your views in their turn,or fire you from at-will employment or your expressions of free speech.
Hate crime laws were ,and are ,a very bad idea;I said so when they started because anyone with intelligence knew the aim was to criminalize dissent.
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I agree.
But it is beyond embarrassing when conservatives do not make a distinction between the general principles of free speech (free speech counters free speech) and the 1st Amendment, which only prohibits government from infringing on free speech.
Sean Hannity in the clip at this article did the same thing! It makes no sense and is infuriating!