This special issue opens with an article by Franklyn S. Haiman, "The Fighting Word Doctrine: From Chaplinsky to Brown," in which he reviews the problem of the use of "fighting words" in public situations. He discusses this type of communication as one that borders individual and collective rights, and provides background information on significant Supreme Court decisions in the free speech area. In the second article, "Leadership and Language," Marvin D. Jensen contends that present crises in leadership arise from our current language usages which do not contribute to real communication. In the final article, "How Do You Tell the Good Guys From the Bad Guys," Ruth Johnston Laws presents an examination of the effects of television on American voter behavior. She examines the changes in campaign planning and strategy because of television, the altered behavior of the candidates in response to the public, and the altered response of the public to the candidates. (Author/RN)