what do imminent lawless action and clear and present danger mean?”
Both of these terms are from court cases interpreting free speech under the First Amendment. These terms apply to the situation when a court is trying to determine whether speech advocating illegal action is permissible. The current legal standard is “imminent lawless action,” from the case of Brandenburg v. Ohio in 1969. In general terms, it means that you can be arrested for making a speech advocating criminal activity if people may act on your advice “imminently” (quickly). An example: standing on a streetcorner making a speech to passersby in which you say “Let’s kill all the lawyers” would be protected speech generally. There’s not much chance someone hearing you is actually going to try to kill all the lawyers “imminently.” On the other hand, if you were standing outside the courthouse when OJ Simpson got found not guilty, and you shouted to the angry crowd “There’s OJ’s attorney, let’s get him” you could be arrested for that (the charge would likely be inciting a riot). The diff
