The First Amendment, The Left... and the Right...
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
March 9, 2009 12:54pm CST
"I may detest what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it-- Voltaire."
We all give lip service to our First Amendment rights, but do we really repect them when it really counts? I'm betting your knee-jerk reaction is an emphatic "yes", however, I'm also betting that once you stop to think about it, you're going to continue with a "but", "except" or "well..."
Do we really respect each others' rights to "no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." ?
We know there are lines drawn, and for the most part we accept them. You can't yell fire in a crowded theater, freedom of association includes criminal organizations, but doesn't include knowledge of or actual commission of a crime, and I doubt very many in America would accept animal sacrifices as a "religious right"... even though it may be a "religious rite".
But the howlingly wrong or dangerous notwithstanding, we all seem to draw the lines somewhere, then expect everyone else to respect that line... no matter where they happen to draw it themselves. Of course, in turn, they expect us to respect the limit they have created.
In other words, we all have our standards of conduct we expect others to uphold... even if they didn't know the standard was supposed to apply to them. So how does that work in a society that supposedly respects 1st Amendment rights?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
9 Mar 09
I believe that the lines are constantly being redrawn as this country continues to evolve and that people learn to adjust and compromise. The only example that comes to mind at the moment would be someone from another country yelling at and degrading his wife in public. It may be his right...and his traditon to speak to her in this way...but it's also my right to voice my objections to him as Americans find this behavior unacceptable. My reaction enlightens him so he learns to hold his tongue a bit in public. On the other hand, if this same man was speaking sternly to his child, but not crossing any lines, it would be a learning experience for me about our cultural differences when it came to child rearing.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
10 Mar 09
That's another part of the question. We demand our right to free speech, but we seem to think that no one else should have it when they are speaking to us. If someone is yelling at their wife, child or anyone else in public, we have as much right to yell at them for doing it.
Does that make yelling at them any more right or productive? No. But right or productive don't create exceptions to our rights.
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
10 Mar 09
I think there is hidden censorship.. the all to often used idea that there is no argument.. such as with global warming - http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=5370
