Since there seems to be somewhat of an "argument" about Freedom of Speech going on in another thread why not give it it's own thread? I'm going to quote David her for starters. Kind of pick it up where it left off. Now I feel this is a VERY good analogy but have to add. The RESPONSES to what people say tell a lot about a person too do they not? If someone says something about our current administration - they are evil perhaps they are often times labeled as a Nazi or America hater when they are, in fact, Americans expressing their views as we are allowed to do. I have already freely admitted I have compared Bush to Hitler sheerly to yank chains on other forums (mainly YouTube) where the intelligence level tends to drop ten fold. I did this only AFTER being called a Nazi by so many for expressing my views. Freedom of speech entails expressing views after all doesn't it? It goes both ways folks. Yesterday I received an email from an acquaintance with a YouTube link comparing Obama to Hitler. Done by a black preacher nonetheless (gasp!). Load of rubbish in my opinion but the man has the right to say it. He went on and on about how Obama captivates an audience. Well, many here would agree he is pretty damn good at it. Hitler did too - course his was more of a "captive" audience instead of a captivated audience. Just my opinion and I have the right to state it. To me the preacher was just an Obama wanna be. Wanna captivate my audience it's just much smaller in scale. Sure there are America haters and they come from both sides of the fence and all walks of life. Spit on a soldier that just returned from Viet Nam - you hate America in my book. That soldier did what was asked of him and he may have been DRAFTED to do a job he DID NOT want to do. Still he did it. Yes, a strong example and one that has always bothered me. You see though, the minute we STOP expressing our views is when we are really in trouble. Had the people of this nation NEVER spoken their views we'd still be British subjects. Every statement we make is just that a STATEMENT. Should I suddenly see my internet statements disappear I'll really start to worry.
Freedom of speech has limitations, and the Supreme Court has ruled many times to that effect. Conversely where people thought limitations should have been in place, in fact the Court ruled otherwise. Freedom of speech does not give one the right to impinge on the rights of others, or to create an unsafe situation like yelling "fire" in a crowded theatre when there is no fire etc. Freedom of speech doesn't give you the right to propound your views on others, say at a military funeral, which happened for a bit of time until the "Patriot Guard" came along to drown out the abuse shouted out by the Westboro Baptists etc. I think it is at least crass, and perhaps should be illegal for people to cause a disturbance at a military funeral for a soldier that died in Iraq.
Kinda scary when Clembo & I agree isn't it? Another point that needs to be made is that just because one disagrees with a statement another has made, they aren't necessarily trying to limit Freedom of Speech, they are simply arguing a point. I have never questioned anyones right to say what they want- in fact I will defend it- but I do excerise my right, ocassionally, to question the intelligence or motives of those statements.
Well said gentlemen. Free speech rocks. BUT, when you speak, be prepared to be held accountable , and understand sometimes words are the only basis other may have when forming an opinion of you.
