What is freedom of speech? According to most online dictionary freedom of speech is a civil right guaranteed by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says "Congress shall make 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."
As you read that in light of current events, I'm sure just like me, you might have had several questions arise. Example, what is peaceably? I'm sticking with my current question of what is freedom of speech though.
In reality, freedom of speech is not absolute in any country and is subject to limitations. Since some individuals here at JU seem to have a problem with absolute let me define absolute to you according to websters '1. perfect or complete 2. complete and without restriction or qualification 3. not limited by law'. Essentially, according to logic a part does not represent the whole (example a tire does not represent a car nor does something having tires make it car). The absolute part here is pertaining to other posts and is in itself another possible future post. I am looking at freedom of speech here.
The article that I am referencing and that brings me concern is what Helen Thomas said about Jews should go back to their home countries. Helen Thomas is of Lebanese descent (she should go back to Lebanon and see how much freedom of speech she would have there). Now, what she says does not concern me per say. Nor do comments from several leaders that she should be stripped of her White House correspondence title or should be fired/suspended from Hearst. What concerns me are people's comments to those comments.
Here are a few examples: "Please tell me what's wrong with Helen telling Jews to go back to their previous homelands. Perhaps, she believes their lives would be better there. People are too eager to condemn views that don't parrot the conventional wisdom. Her critics are the truly intolerant. Poor Helen's only mistake was believing in free speech!"
"While I totally disagree with Helen, I am just wondering what happened to "Free Speech"? Right or Wrong, good or bad, we used to have the right to say what we wanted, no matter how wrong we were in saying it. Maybe we should be more concerned about our freedoms, that how wrong Helen is."
"As much as I disagree with her abuse of position to insert racist opinions into the news, I cannot bring myself to penalize someone for speaking their mind. If you can, I fear for our freedoms."
There are rights to having freedom of speech as well as consequences (positive and negative) that go along with this right. Like the waitress who got fired for facebooking about how some customers stayed a long time and gave her a lousy tip. Or If spoke about my current employer in a negative light/manner, I too could be fired. Furthermore, say I would go to a black supremacist rally (which I would never do for I am not black nor am I supremacist) that was held in a public setting and some newsperson took my picture. My company could (please note that I am not saying would here for there is a possibility that I may not as well) fire me for this as well. If you think about it if I did get fired is the newsperson liable for anything that happens to me even though they were enacting there right to press/freedom of speech. If my house gets ransacked or my family starts to get harassed because of that picture or story, would the reporter be responsible?
There are consequences to freedom of speech, right.........?
