My thoughts on: Law and Freedom of Speech

A scholarly essay I read said laws (i.e. Defamation Act) are used to limit freedom of speech, so that racist slurs etc do not occur in our marketplace of ideas, as defined by John Stuart Mills.

I think that the laws do not limit our freedom of speech, but instead, holds us accountable for what we say in public space.

This, I feel, is a far better interpretation as it means that while we are allowed to say whatever we want, those who are inclined to make derogatory remarks would be rightfully put in their place by the community from which they inherited that freedom from.

This is of course assuming that these people don't think that they are racially superior too.