Censorship of speech and literature comes in many forms and modalities. The right to free speech, guaranteed by the Constitution, comes first in the minds of most Americans. Most will agree with the premise until a counterexample convinces them otherwise. Should people be given the right to shout racial slurs from a media platform? Robin Tomach Lackoff states in his article “Hate Speech,” “Courts have always recognized the validity of competing claims: 'clear and present danger,' 'falsely shouting 'fire' in a crowded theater,' imminent threat, 'fighting words.' , national interest, defamation, threats, subornation of the perjurer, the perjurer himself and others” (261). The inconvenience caused by an individual yelling “bomb” at an airport goes beyond subtle laughter. Flights would be delayed, appointments would be missed, and after the bomb squad cleared the area, people would have to go through security checks again. If the person's intention becomes offensive, censorship may become the only option. What happens when the books students read in school contain ideas contested by adults such as violence, offensive language, and sexual explicitness? The proposed general solution involves removing those selected books from shelves for the protection of students. The common goal of those for and against censorship is the betterment of society. Whether repression is developed for educational purposes, for relations with the press and media, or for the Internet, it insinuates public ignorance and violates an inalienable right. Society has the ability to accomplish everything that censorship does, if not more, through public opinion. If the disapproved content of a novel affected the public strongly enough, the novel would not be published widely because I… middle of paper… need others to do it for them. From children's books to political propaganda, censorship violates the rights afforded to citizens of the United States and what should be a right for all. Freedom of information enables the formation of a stronger culture and community. Rory Edwards said it best when he wrote: “I don't want to be excluded from the truth. If they banned books, they could also isolate us from the world." Works quoted “Ballmer, Sterling Trust Enter into $2 Billion Deal.” ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, May 30, 2014. Web. June 24, 2014. Edwards, Rory. "Quotes: First Amendment, Censorship, and Freedom to Read." WING. Np, nd Web. June 29, 2014."The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain." PBS. PBS and Web. June 23, 2014.Pogge, Richard. "Lesson 16: "The Starry Messenger": Galileo Galilei and the Telescope." Ohio-State.edu. Np, nd Web. June 28 2014.