Freedom of Speech

Hello...

lol, this is a hot topic, both here, and in my offline life...

I see people clamoring about their "rights" all the time...

But they forget, that others have rights too...

Many rights...

We all do...

Ive told my son, he has the right to say what he wants, but, those he 'speaks freely' with, have the right to their reaction... Be it anger, or whatever....

Please go to http://xkcd.com/1357/ to read the 'subtext'....

Spot on!! In my offline adventures, I have been politically involved for some time (although not as much in recent years), and I constantly have to explain to people that the freedoms granted by the Bill of Rights are freedoms from the government, not from other people!! Freedom of Speech simply means the government can't tell you what to say, it doesn't mean your employer can't fire you for saying them!! lol

Exactly. This is almost the exact rationale people put on the overwhelming reactions to the Phil Robertson interview. Personally, I wouldn't dream of taking away someone's right to behave any way they desire, but they should also consider whether they are ready to accept the reactions of those around them. I've been guilty of saying or doing things just to see how people react so as to know their thoughts about those things, out of curiosity, since they wouldn't say so, otherwise. This is how I've learned to step back most of the time to understand my own thoughts and feelings about things when they happen. Some situations don't allow such time to be taken, though, which is something I need to learn to deal with.

The government is supposed to be a body that represents everyone (a group of people). As such, if people, as individuals or a group, have a right to "show you the door", so does the government. So basically you have free speech as long as you're not outnumbered. this is pretty obvious when you look at the various laws, and in the US, supreme court rulings about it. your freedom is only guaranteed by a greater number of people willing to allow you than people willing to disallow you. You are only free to do what the larger group says is OK for you to do; you are therefore not free at all.

Ask any prisoner.

Things like the US constitution's first amendment really are a gimmick, here to convince the citizens they get tolerance in exchange for tolerance, nothing more.

Groupthink ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink ) is what screws everything up. Here, in your town, everywhere else.

Good points Ren...

But, as I keep saying, we all have the right to say what we want...

If keeping quiet because of the consequences is all that stops someone from speaking, well, then that limiitation is in their mind...

Look at MLK, look at Mandela, look at Hitler, look at anyone who has put their butt on the line...

How bad do you want to 'speak'? To make your (the indivduals) point?

Bad enough to get beat up? Or killed?

Well, there are varying levels of support...

The government arrests me for my words? Shoot, free room and board... (just being flip, lol)

How important is it to you? (the individual)

Are you (the individual) willing to face the possible consequences?

As far as prison, they may control my body, but never my mind...

Not the real me...