CHICK-FIL-HEY: An In-Depth Look Into John Stuart Mill's Harm Principleand its Application in Modern American Society

Americans claim to deeply cherish the rights of Freedom of Speech and Expression. We have firmly cemented these rights into our legal code through numerous Supreme Court cases. American society however is a different story. While most Americans claim to be open minded and willing to discuss ideas they find offensive, the facts simply do not support that notion. The negative reaction of a major section of the United States population to statements made by Dan Cathy, CEO of Chick-fil-A, where he spoke against same-sex marriage, highlights how American society is not very inclusive to conflicting or offensive opinions. In the end, Mill’s Harm Principle, which the American Legal System has so carefully adopted, should be adopted by American Society as well; if we as Americans hope to have a thriving and intellectual society.