The Freedom of Speech

So, we supposedly have the freedom of speech in this country.  That is supposed to mean that you can say pretty much whatever you want right?  Not so fast, what about hate speech?  How about speech that offends large segments of the population (like women, or a religious group, or some minority group or even <gasp> a politician or political party)?  First off, let me explain a couple of things about the Freedom of Speech that many of my fellow Americans (having been educated solely by the Public Education System) don't always seem to realize.  The first is that speech deliberately designed to cause an immediate panic can and is a violation of the law (shouting "FIRE" in a crowded theater  for example).  the second is that the Freedom of Speech granted by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, only protects you from the federal government.  Your employer, as an example, can fire you based upon comments you make publicly at home or work.  Another thing many fail to understand is that while you do have the Freedom of Speech, you must obey other laws while exercising it ... for example, if the community park closes at dark, and you are trying to hold a rally after dark, you could run into problems, or if you are ranting loudly in the late evening and disturbing the peace, this too can get you in trouble.  Now, that having been said, let me tell you this ....  The government, using the media and the public education system as willing accomplices, has been doing its damnedest  to eliminate this vitally important freedom for decades!  Political Correctness, is a doctrine designed for no more reason than to control what you can say and how you can say it.  having won this battle already (for the most part) allows those in power to control the language and the dialog in every discussion, and ultimately, to control what the masses think, and/or find acceptable.  This has been going on for so long now, that there are few who even think to question it.  The framers of The U.S. Constitution realized that even offensive speech (actually especially offensive speech would be more accurate) must be as protected as speech we agree with, or really no speech is protected!  It is the whole entire reason that our Founding Fathers put the Freedom of the Press and the Freedom of Speech right up there with the Freedom of Religion in the very first Amendment.  Because, folks, once you start banning speech, or labeling some speech as "hate speech" or criminal speech, then whoever is in power can start limiting how often you hear from those who oppose the way they view the system, and this becomes a tool to sway public opinion, and eventually, carried to the extreme, to arrest and imprison those who hold a differing viewpoint.  Political Correctness isn't just wrong, it is evil!  And it will bring nothing but darkness, and eventually it will bring this nation to it's knees!  I may disagree with what you have to say, but I will fight to the death to defend your right to say it!  We as Americans really really really need to start standing up to Big Brother and his lap dogs in the media and start asserting our rights, the way our Founding Fathers intended!


Vitam Libertatem Honorem