Free Speech Demands Wisdom
If there is one right of the American public that is touted more often than any it is the right to free speech. Nothing will bring liberals snarling faster than someone in some way, shape or form seeming to infringe on someone’s right to speak freely.
For the most part, this is virtuous, at least as virtue is defined by the American public. But somewhere along the line we have forgotten that liberty only works when there is some semblance of a wise and self-governed people who have some inkling of virtue and some desire to uphold virtue even if it tramples on the hallowed right to speak freely. This is not a foreign concept as the United States Supreme Court even recognized that speech which is likely to cause harm to others—like yelling fire in a crowded theater when there wasn’t any—is NOT protected speech.
So when the Central Maine newspapers came out in support of the Waterboro Baptist Church--they are that nasty, Satanic, anti-Gay vitriol spewing cult from Topeka--having the right to protest the funerals of fallen servicemen, their support of the right to speak freely, even though offensive, seems virtuous but it is not. Actually it is deplorable and only underscores my assertion that we have lost any and all ability to self-govern due to a loss of wisdom and self-control.
President Bush’s Act called “Respect For America’s Fallen Heroes” would not eliminate the cherished right to verbally assault, injure, harm and afflict the grieving families of slain defenders of liberty; it would only put limits on how “in your face” these quasi-humans could be in proximity to the dead and grieving. This is what a sensible and reasonable society should do.
And I guess that is why the Sentinel cannot conceive of a notion of honor and respect for the hurting not to mention those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Why is it that only speech which is truly disgusting, vile and destructive falls under the hallowed right to free speech while virtuous, honorable and healthy speech—speech pertaining to either religion, disease, or some other controversial wellness issue?
I’ll let you think on that one but stay tuned for the ACLU’s raging hypocrisy against free speech—within their own organization.
For the most part, this is virtuous, at least as virtue is defined by the American public. But somewhere along the line we have forgotten that liberty only works when there is some semblance of a wise and self-governed people who have some inkling of virtue and some desire to uphold virtue even if it tramples on the hallowed right to speak freely. This is not a foreign concept as the United States Supreme Court even recognized that speech which is likely to cause harm to others—like yelling fire in a crowded theater when there wasn’t any—is NOT protected speech.
So when the Central Maine newspapers came out in support of the Waterboro Baptist Church--they are that nasty, Satanic, anti-Gay vitriol spewing cult from Topeka--having the right to protest the funerals of fallen servicemen, their support of the right to speak freely, even though offensive, seems virtuous but it is not. Actually it is deplorable and only underscores my assertion that we have lost any and all ability to self-govern due to a loss of wisdom and self-control.
President Bush’s Act called “Respect For America’s Fallen Heroes” would not eliminate the cherished right to verbally assault, injure, harm and afflict the grieving families of slain defenders of liberty; it would only put limits on how “in your face” these quasi-humans could be in proximity to the dead and grieving. This is what a sensible and reasonable society should do.
And I guess that is why the Sentinel cannot conceive of a notion of honor and respect for the hurting not to mention those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Why is it that only speech which is truly disgusting, vile and destructive falls under the hallowed right to free speech while virtuous, honorable and healthy speech—speech pertaining to either religion, disease, or some other controversial wellness issue?
I’ll let you think on that one but stay tuned for the ACLU’s raging hypocrisy against free speech—within their own organization.
posted by PB at 9:01 AM
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