Issue 470 Do we really have the freedom of speech? November 26, 2014

So do we have the right to speak our minds?  Or are we limited in some way, shape or form?  Let us discuss.

We have limited speech:  According to the Supreme Court we can make a threat upon a person/place so long as there is a condition attached (person being threatened must perform an act/not do something).  If there's no conditions attached, then you are in for prosecution, even if you did not mean anything by what you said.  Priests can talk outside of official capacity, but not from the pulpit.  You cannot display Christmas trees on your desk if you work in a government building.  People need permits to hold demonstrations which can be rejected.  Government can censor former government employee’s books if they do not like the information/content written in them.  If a reporter refuses to reveal sources to the government, they can be arrested, or their homes raided.  The list keeps going.  So we do not have true freedom to speak our minds whether it be displaying the flag, or burning the flag.  People’s values and emotions are written into every law and are in every action a government official takes.  So if what you say or do is not liked, then your freedoms are typically taken away, even if you did nothing wrong.

Conclusion:  I made this article short to demonstrate something without going overboard.  That we can say things, but depending on who's listening which determines if we are suppressed or not.  However, we will always have the freedom to think for ourselves.  There has yet to be thought police that can enter our minds and arrest us for thinking.  So you should actually think about what you are going to say before you say it so you can adjust it to avoid getting into trouble.  Our actions too must be thought out first so as to prevent offending people or making ourselves look bad.  While it is a shame that we cannot make ourselves look foolish for speaking off the cuff, it is our society that we all had a part in building.  So if we want change on this matter, we must act as individuals to change ourselves and lead by example.  So you can learn when and where to hold your tongue, but do not let it stop you from expressing yourself in a non-violent, well-mannered way.