Free Speech Means Free Speech

Free speech.

Last weekend, as I am sure most of you know, there was a contest in Texas to see who could render the best drawing of Mohammad. Two Muslim men, who allegedly had a tie to ISIS, tried to rush in and kill those people only to be killed themselves. The media went nuts, suggesting that this was too provocative, and that we really need to curb this kind of language that might cause hate or violence. I disagree. The Constitution of the United States makes it very clear that we have the freedom of speech/expression. “ Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech..” It does not say that you should be careful of what you say. It doesn't say to not speak of things that will anger or offend and it certainly does not speak against so called blasphemy. Yet the talking heads, both conservative and liberal, those who make a living using words and depictions, were suggesting that we need to curb this because someone might get killed. Really? I am sure when our fore fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence they knew that it was putting a noose around their necks, yet they wrote it any ways and later gave us the same right. More importantly; Why should we allow terrorists to dictate what we say or do in our own country? If they don't like our freedoms ,they are more than welcome to go to the 57 countries that are living under Sharia, no one is stopping them.

What seems to be happening, in my humble opinion,is that Americans are becoming so weak ,and soft ,that the only language, the only type of speech that can be handled by the PC crowd, is that which does not offend or is politically correct, and it's being taught to our students. Colleges across the country are filled with little more than PC nonsense but if you think differently, say your pro Israel or anti gay, then you are bigoted and you will be silenced or banned from speaking at campus events.

If the only type of speech that's ever going to be allowed is politically correct or soft and fuzzy than you do not have free speech. You have little more than regurgitation. You cannot have an exchange of ideas if only one point of view is allowed. No one said you have to like the other persons ideas but they are still allowed to have them and express them.

A few years ago I defended the rights of the Chick Filet owner to speak about his belief in traditional

marriage and the protest that ensued. I never mentioned one way or another as to whether or not I agreed, but because I defended his right to speak I was hammered by many and even some who are near and dear to me.

So if your reading this be prepared; I am about to do it again.

Yesterday I read about a school in Pennsylvania that had a week long celebration of various groups and cultures, culminating in GLTB awareness events on a Friday. It was suggested, though not required, that students come that day in multicolored or rainbow colored shirts to show their support. Most of the students did ,with two noticeable exceptions. Those two chose to wear Chick Filet shirts instead. As you can imagine, those two students were met with much outrage and were reportedly bullied and threatened by other students via Twitter and personal encounters. They were told beyond a shadow of a doubt, by fellow students, that their rights didn't give them the right to be “assholes” and yes that's a quote. So, if I am understanding this correctly, they have no rights because they take a differing view of the GLBT community? Really? Where is that written? It struck me then, as I was reading this, that the trend, PC free speech, is being taught to our school age kids now and that's why they would say something like that. You can't speak or express yourself because it's not politically correct or not what I believe so get in lock step with the rest of us.. This, as a small time writer and user of words, seems very sad to me.

I really shouldn't be surprised. We have been trying to make everything PC for a long time now and we have spent much of that time pandering and coddling to one of the most whiniest generations to ever come around. We have gone from calling our enemies out on a carpet to being afraid that what we say or draw might offend. How pathetic we have become.

In the end Freedom of Speech stands or falls depending on what we do with it. If we give in to the PC crowd it will eventually disappear and we will become a nation of mind numbed robots who only regurgitate that which we are allowed, but if we all buck that trend, and really celebrate the diversity of opinions (notice I didn't say agree with each other) we can put an end to all this PC silliness and fear, and once again truly embrace freedom of speech.

What Is Justice?

What exactly do you consider “justice” to be?

I always understood that justice was the process of fact finding before judgment was passed, you know the concept of innocent until proven guilty, instead of just guilty because of the color of your skin or occupation. Seems though that we have come to a place where if you are a police officer and you are white, you are immediately guilty of murder, or attempted murder, as soon as you attempt to do your job in dangerous circumstances.

Yet the flip side to this is that if you are a black teen age male ,or young adult, that you are innocent of everything, no matter how many crimes you have committed, if you are killed while resisting arrest. Or you are called “children”, rather then thugs, as you riot, loot and pillage, destroying others lives and livelihoods. Strange world when that is considered to be justice.

Please don't waste you time with the idea that I am speaking from some sort of “white privilege position” When I was the age of many of those “children” of whom I like to refer to as “punks or thugs” (though I will refrain lest I offend the more sensitive in the crowd) I was a part of that privileged class known as “white trash” I broke laws, took drugs, and was arrested on numerous occasions. Never convicted of anything of any importance but I was hassled by the police for things I didn't do and yes, just walking down the street was enough to get me stopped by them. Granted, this was in a small town, yet it never even occurred to any of us young punks, no matter how many times we were arrested, or stopped for something, to think of looting and burning down our own homes and neighborhoods, nor did we try and resist arrest, it seemed rather pointless because they knew us and they had the guns and badges.

But now, at least in the cities , it seems that this kind of behavior is considered to be justifiable. Sorry, I don't buy it. If you are violently resisting arrest, you should expect to get hurt or killed, and if you are rioting and looting you should expect to pay the price no matter what the skin color.

One person commented that you couldn't possibly hurt or arrest all those “children” ( the rioters) Why not? Those same “children” committed arson, attempted murder , vandalism, destruction of property etc. They stopped being “children” when they started doing these things. Some have argued that they were under the influence of adults. Fine, arrest them too,but don't excuse bad behavior with the notion of “the devil made me do it”, it is still no excuse. They destroyed lives. They destroyed businesses and homes that may never return and all this over a drug dealer who died in police custody , under unclear circumstances. Don't take me wrong, I am not routing for the police if there is a provable case against them, I am saying all the rioting and looting should have been stopped without all the BS excuses. Two injustices don't make either one right.

The sad part is that no justice is being served. The Green family is not being served justice, the innocent people, including the police officers, are not being served justice and even if it is proved that there is wrong doing it still does not justify destruction and chaos, that is not justice.