Our Failing Fight for Freedom

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A view of Freedom of speech in America.
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Free Speech. Hmm... That's a hard one. The right of the individual to freely speak his or her mind and not be censored for it. It's a nice Idea. Americans claim to have it. But do we really?

An author decides to write a novel of political intrigue, spends a year and a half (roughly) to get it ready for publication, and submits it to numerous publishing houses. Only to be told "Sorry we can't use this it's too provocative."

A news anchor starts a report on "possible terrorist activity" only to have the "technical difficulty" sign crop up and when you are again able to hear them they are talking about the lady on the east side of town whose dog ran into the street and caused an accident.

We believe that we have the right to speak our minds and yet the FCC fines radio and TV stations for using images, language, or expressions that THEY deem to be offensive. We have become a culture in the majority, who are afraid to speak our minds because what might be said might be offensive to someone.

For example: The singing group the Dixie Chicks spoke out and exercised their supposed right to say they opposed the war and military actions in the Middle East. Within hours there were calls to have them branded traitors, revoke their recording contracts, record shops refused to put their CD's on the shelves for sale. Here a record store put a barrel outside for depositing their CD's and Tapes for burning.

What happened to their right to freedom of speech? I didn't agree with what they had to say but I will defend to the death their right to say it. It is my obligation, as a citizen, to do so.

We are a nation obsessed with the Politically Correct. We can no longer refer to the garbage collector as such. Now he is a Sanitation Engineer. This country is filled with such examples. We can be sued for expressing our opinions.

When the American Nazi Party holds their rally on the statehouse lawn every year, they exercise the right of any American to speak publicly about what they believe. Agreed that their subject matter is distasteful and I don't agree with it. And millions died on foreign soil (including those of my own blood) to stop its spread. But under our laws they have a right to say what they feel.

And the saddest part of it is that if no one showed up to protest their right to gather and speak. They would not come back the next year because they only get the headlines and media coverage they want when some "upstanding American in support of the Constitution" interferes with their Constitutionally guaranteed right to assemble and speak. How is that free speech?

We must remember that the Idea we find offensive is the one we must defend the hardest. We must be vigilant in our pursuit of freedom. Because the freedoms of another, you surrender today, is your freedom that will be surrendered by others tomorrow.

The right to privacy was removed by the PATRIOT ACT. The FBI came come into, search and bug your home, as long as there is no one present in the structure when they do it, WITHOUT the need of a warrant or probable cause. All in the name of national security.

They can censor the news to remove any thing they deem necessary from it so that we don't know what is going on. You have the right to gather and assemble but now you must have a permit to do so. I can find no mention of a permit for assembly in the Constitution. Isn't that odd?

In high school I was thrown out of American history for speaking openly about the new "Revisionist History" fiction novel that they called our new edition History book. It had been "sanitized for Political Correctness". I refused to use it and purchased a copy of our old History book to use in class.

I exercised my right to free speech and they tried to suspend me indefinitely until I would use their fiction novel. (If you're interested in that story email me for details). In the end the question was asked "IS he right?" The answer was yes and the suspension was dropped and removed from my record.

We have an illusion that we are trying to make a reality and we need all the help we can get. Sites like Literotica and others are labeled as subversive to the American Ideal and yet they are the epitome of that very ideal. We as a nation struggle with our identity in so many ways because we are a blend of so many different and disparate peoples, we cannot afford to fail for we are the last bastion of hope and freedom. We must protect what we can and the right to speak our minds unhindered is one of the most important of all of our dwindling freedoms.

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AnonymousAnonymous8 months ago

While I disagree with your assessment of the Dixie Chicks abd am not aware of calls for them to lose contracts, the free market did speak and I admire their willingness to lose market share to state their opinion. It's not just freedom. It is liberty; the right of self government. I fear we are too far gone to get it back. And unfortunately, there does not appear to be any place to go to get it back.

Fjmax6Fjmax69 months ago

With every freedom there has to be some restrictions. Such as walking into a crowed Movie Theater screaming Fire Fire Fire may seem funny to you but could cause mass panic and get people injured. The same thing applies to the FCC where they restrict what can be showed on open air TV, do you want a pornographic movie showing on prime time TV that children are watching? The Dixie Chicks used free speech and said what they thought. Does that mean I cannot protest what they said, how they said it, and where they said it? Is it not my right to protest their free speech or what they said? Using your example of the Dixie Chicks again could I not use my free speech and walk into say a bar full of African Americans and say all you lazy no account M@$#% F^#%$@ N*&#( need to get outside now and clean the street and sidewalk. I do not think I walk out of their alive.

Now the Patriot Act is a totally different bag of worms and since I do not really know it or read it I cannot say.

I agree History Books should not be change just to be politically correct, history is history whether we like it or not and the truth is what is needed. Unless you are a Socialist, Fascist, or Communist.

AnonymousAnonymousover 5 years ago
Our Freedom of Speech is Now Freedom From Speech!

The freedom of speech just prevents the government from restricting the peoples freedom of speech. Along with this freedom comes the responsibility for 'paying the cost' for what we say! Now there are terrorists [those who restrict/attack our 'free exchange of our opinions/speech' in the public arena] who use violence/threat of violence to restrict/control our speech in the public arena! The greatest threat in this country is that 'my right to stout down/prevent your free speech OVERRIDES your right to speak'.

WHAT THEY BELIEVE: "We are all equal but some of us are more equal that others. Animal Farm.

WHAT THEY DO NOT BELIEVE: "I vehemently disagree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it. Thomas Jefferson.

Thank you for bringing this issue to this forum.

AnonymousAnonymousover 6 years ago
Amen!!! We must defend our rights

For several years I was a steal worker than one day it all went to china...mexico. within 6 months I lost my farm,everything I owned and eventually the stress took my wife and the mother of my than11 year old daughter. She is 18 now,and we are rebuilding our lives. In two short months I finally saw what this so called great once country cared about us. I still believe in the country my family and forefathers fought for...but I question deeply our leaders and their motives. Thank you for your honesty...jerry

bornagainbornagainalmost 12 years ago
Greatest Story Ever

landrious1 knows what to say and writes the Best stories.

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