Luke Wachob of the Center for Competitive Politics considers the chilling effect of harassment on free speech:
Many people assume that free speech is well-protected in America today. The First Amendment, revered as a cornerstone of American democracy, guarantees that “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech.” But history teaches us that speech is not free if speakers can be intimidated into silence. Unfortunately, existing laws and new proposals in states across the country unwittingly enable the harassment of anyone who speaks up on the most important issues of the day.