Lamont v. Postmaster General of the United States - Impact

The Court's decision, coming at the height of the country's fear of communism during the Cold War, reaffirmed the central tenet of the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech: That freedom of speech protects speech on unpopular topics and advocacy of unpopular political ideas. Thus, the Court signaled that government may not impose any burdens on the right of the people to speak their minds concerning political and social issues. Since the Court's decision in Lamont, the Court has consistently held to this interpretation of the First Amendment's protection of the freedom of speech.