This week another example of the poor use of sppech stole the headlines, divertibg attention from international matters of life and death.
Is it free speech? Are the comments protected by the U.S. Constitution?
That's what some would have us believe. Racist slurs, profanity, and pornography are protected forms of expression which must, at the very least, be tolerated. When I hear this argument, I always wonder what the famed Founding Fathers would say if they knew the Constitution was being used to defend vulgarity.
I always liked that Oliver Wendell Holmes statement that the freedom to stretch my arms extended as far as the next guy's nose (to paraphrase liberally). It's all about speaking responsibly. And respecting each other.
I want to see free speech back where it belongs--in the political realm. When anti-war protestors can gather without harassment, and not find their names showing up on no-fly lists, we will have returned to the ideals of the Constitution.
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2 comments:
I remember how my mom used to play "Imus in the Morning" on the radio when we commuted from the suburbs to the city every day; her to work, me to college. Little did she know, she was desensitising me to disrespectful language.
Now, as a god-fearing, middle-aged mom, such language is somehow shocking and repulsive to me to the point of being comedic. I've been away from it so long.
Too bad we couldn't take a minute to step outside of ourselves and observe the way we speak, like the emperor really seeing his fine new clothes. Imagine if we could really be objective and look at what all that "free" speech says about us.
People make such a big deal about our right to free speech, but I suppose we never stop to think about why that right was included in the constitution (unless we are sitting in Ms. K's social studies class).
I once consulted a sheikh about an issue that involved my rights. Althought it was not in the context of the right to free speech, I think his response is still relevant.
He said "Don't insist on your rights, have good akhlaq (ethics). ..We don't insist on our rights unless someone else’s life or benefit is at stake."
I have taken his council to heart, and feel at peace.
Unfortunately, the masses seem to be a whole world away from that way of thinking.
Thanks for your excellent comments. I love the sheikh's response.
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