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·original photography and digital editing
·digital editing only

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- b a c k -

The Bill of Rights First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America reads as follows:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Once again the important part:

"Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech..."

The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 defined what constitutes human rights for the citizens of the world. Article 19 of that document addresses the right to freedom of expression:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. "

The ability of U.S. citizens to speak freely is a right guaranteed by the document that defined the country over 200 years ago. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been written into the constitutions of numerous countries throughout the world, and is commonly held as the standard for such issues. By these two major statements, societies around the world to one degree or another, have similar provisions for their peoples to speak their mind.

So, theoretically, free speech is guaranteed to many of the world's people.