Freedom of Speech
In the US, freedom of speech is a protected right, according to the First Amendment. It states that “Congress shall make
no law…abridging freedom of speech.” [1] However, even in the US, there are certain restrictions, such as shouting “fire”
in a crowded theater, which is illegal because it endangers the lives of others. In Starship Troopers, there are few
instances where freedom of speech could come into play.
- Federal Network - Seems to be a government controlled news network, and is widely watched. This news network puts out
news that makes the government look good or gets the people in the mood they want. Using this news network,
the government is able to convince the people that war is necessary when an asteroid wipes out Buenos Ares. The
network is also used to drive recruitment for the federal service by saying everyone has to do their part in the war. However,
we do see a news piece where the reporter is saying things that are not directly in line with the federal government,
but he is cut off by Rico, the main character, who uses his interruption to show his support for the war.
Overall, this stays in line with what the government wants, but it is unclear if the broadcast was live.
If it was live, it is unclear how the federal government would have responded, maybe by cutting off the broadcast, or by
putting a pro war news piece right after.
- Right to Vote - Not directly a restriction of speech in the traditional sense, but this does restrict people’s voices
in the government. In the movie, this came about because, as the movie puts it, a traditional democracy failed and left
the world on the brink of chaos. The federation was formed with the rule that if you served the federation is some way,
you were granted citizenship. This is because, as the movie puts it, “a citizen accepts personal responsability for the
safety of the body politic, defending it with his life.”
- Federal Communication Service - The government also seems to control the widely used Federal Communication Service,
though there doesn’t seem to be any evidence that they use this control what people say.
[1] What Does Free Speech Mean? (n.d.). Retrieved April 10, 2018, from
http://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/what-does