does freedom of speech really exist or is it a myth?

This brings up a pointed question. Free Speech is diminishing the Bush Administration's resolve to do exactly what? Impose their narrow views on the world? Do anything they want, without resorting to ethics, morals, laws, and/or justification? Why does this sound similar to Adolph Hitler's obsession with the Fatherland, his phrase, "Deutschland uber alles" (Germany over all others), or something his Minister of Propaganda might have said in a PR moment? The rather terrifying aspect is that George Bush and his neo-conservative axis of evil members are actively attempting to silence and condemn anyone who disagrees with their extremely narrow Christian fundamentalism and hidden world-conquest agendas. By use of the Patriot Act -- predicated by the 9-11-2001 failure of this same federal government to act appropriately -- and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, these knee-jerk... jerks are attempting with the force of law to impose their views on others, elicit the cooperation of others of like mind, and using financial and other pressures encourage similar compromises of free speech by other organizations and individuals. That is why we must challenge the rationale of the Patriot Act. We must ask why should America put aside guarantees of constitutional justice? How can we justify in effect canceling The First Amendment and the right of free speech, the right to peaceably assemble? How can we justify in effect canceling the Fourth Amendment, probable cause, the prohibitions against unreasonable search and seizure? How can we justify in effect canceling the Fifth Amendment, nullifying due process, and allowing for indefinite incarceration without a trial? How can we justify in effect canceling the Sixth Amendment, the right to prompt and public trial? How can we justify in effect canceling the Eighth Amendment which protects against cruel and unusual punishment?

Freedom of speech is very interesting because people can be allowed to express their opinions whatever they may be. I personally don't agree with voicing hateful beliefs because it will just create awkward tensions. I had a rally recently to support the passage of bill HR 1207 and S 604 to audit the Federal Reserve and I tried to tell people that we were supposed to be focusing on the issues not that parties. However, there were still several Barack opponents that showed up. I felt powerless because I could not deny them their freedom of speech but I did not want to be associated with such speech.

Not a myth. Freedom of speech means the freedom to express yourself, the freedom of information is related to this. HOWEVER, under many governments the freedom of speech has been greatly diminished. As you pointed out, affectively, this means it might as well not exist if people of "authority" are allowed to be selective as to what we're allowed to say. This is true today in America. The "fire!" in the movie theatre thing? Officially, they don't charge you for what you said...but for "disturbing the peace" or, if they're being nice, something smaller like "being disruptive" where they'll just send you on your way instead of charging you with anything. So technically, they don't restrict your speech, they just mind what your words might cause. While this is acceptable under beliefs in liberty, it must be acknowledged that even this could become a slippery slope. Today, we hear about throwing people in jail for the "intent". That is, what they were thinking they meant to do. This is bad, because you can't really be charged fairly over THOUGHT. No one can tell you what you were thinking, and your word for what you were thinking is not really acceptable evidence...therefore leading to breaches in other freedoms, like habeas corpus (your right to a fair trial), and then it's only a few short steps to even graver things...like posse comitatus that protects you from martial law and infringements on your freedom to travel. You cannot be free without your freedom of speech. No one likes the hateful, rascist, fundementalist, or bigots...but just because we dislike them does not mean that we have the right to infringe upon their freedom tp speak.