The Definitive Treatise on Freedom of Speech

Thanks to our colleges, high schools, Hollywood, and the news media; very few Americans truly understand the concept of freedom of speech in its entirety.   I see, on such a regular basis, so many misconceptions about one of our most important God-given Natural rights.  When it comes to freedom of speech, the behavior of a certain segment of the political spectrum has become most appalling.  Silencing those with differing political and religious beliefs has become a natural reaction to a great many on the political left.  If you don’t agree with that statement, please explain to me recent events such as: tens of thousands showing up in Boston to silence a small group standing up for free speech, riots at Berkeley because one individual was scheduled to speak, Antifa beating people who dare to share opinions they don’t agree with, safe spaces on college campuses,  and so much more.

Freedom of speech is not granted to us by the First Amendment.  Each one of us is granted that right, along with all of our rights, directly by God.   The First Amendment preserves that right by preventing the federal government from interfering with that right in any way.  State Constitutions contain a Bill of Rights which protects free speech, along with other Natural Rights, of those living in that state against violations by the state and local governments.  If the First Amendment granted us the right of freedom of speech then deleting or changing that amendment would take it away.   The federal government, mostly through the efforts of an out of control Supreme Court, has distorted the meaning of the First Amendment so much that it is now used as a weapon to silence individuals and groups.   That violates the God-given Natural Right of freedom of speech.

Freedom of speech is far more important than people’s feelings.  There is no right to live your life free from being offended.  Everyone has a right to be offended by whatever offends them however no one has a right to silence anyone for any reason.  Not listening or saying something back is the only valid responses.  Political correctness is fundamentally wrong because its adherents seek to silence anyone and anything that offends them.  Political correctness is nothing but censorship by mob rule.  This does not violate the First Amendment because that amendment only restricts the federal government.  PC censorship does violate the God-given Natural Right of freedom of speech.

Freedom of speech applies to everyone.  This includes the vilest, most hate filled individuals and groups.  This view was shared by those that wrote and ratified the First Amendment.  Even though I completely detest the Ku Klux Klan, along with everything they stand for, I fully support their right to spew their hate filled garbage.

Freedom of speech protects hate speech.  Far too often hate speech is nothing more than speech that offends someone.  It is all too common today for members of the political left to label speech, ideas, and philosophies of those on the political right as hate speech and attempt to ban those ideas.  This behavior is rampant on American colleges and universities.  Even truly hateful speech is protected.  As stated before, even the garbage spewed by the Ku Klux Klan is protected by freedom of speech.

No one has a right to use their speech to silence anyone.  Mobs or individuals shouting down or drowning out other speakers is not an exercise in free speech. It is a violation of the free speech of the original group or individuals that are trying to speak. It is also a violation of the right of an audience to listen to what they want to hear. Everyone has a right to speak and be heard no matter how vile and disgusting they are. Everyone has a right to listen to whatever they want to listen to. With the mob approach, free speech is only reserved for the largest and angriest mobs. This approach will only lead to violence, which has happened all too often recently.  The events in Boston last month were a disgusting display of misguided individuals silencing others.  The media falsely labeled the original rally as hate speech by white supremacists and tens of thousands showed up to silence them, drown them out, or force the cancelation of the event.   Even if the rally was organized by white supremacists, no one had a right to silence them in any way.  Silently protesting them; while carrying signs, or peacefully and respectfully trying to engage in debate, would have been proper techniques to protest such an event.

Freedom of speech is a two way street.  Everyone has a right to criticize speech and behavior they do not agree with.  Criticism is in no way a violation of the original speaker’s right of free speech.  I am regularly critical of speech I do not like along with individuals and groups who engage in speech and behavior I don’t like.  Often I use harsh or angry language when I criticize what I don’t like.  Everyone is free to do the same.  I never call for anyone to be silenced no matter how vehemently I disagree with what they have to say.

Speech is never violence.  This claim has repeatedly been made by the group Antifa who use this claim as an excuse to use violence against those they disagree with.  Because of this behavior Antifa is nothing more than a mob of angry thugs.

Violence is never the answer to anything.  That includes speech that you do not agree with or that offends you.

Censorship is always wrong.  Facebook and Twitter regularly censor conservative and other right leaning posts, advertising, articles, and memes.  The First Amendment and state Bills of Rights do not prevent this behavior because they are private companies.  This censorship does violate the God-given Natural right of freedom of speech therefore it is wrong.  Individuals have every right to not use those social media outlets and implore others not to use them.   I regularly use those social media outlets to rail against their vile censorship.  I will share this article on both sites.

Forcing others to be patriotically correct or morally correct is just as wrong as forcing others to be politically correct.  We on the right also engage in our own censorship, although it is not as out of control as that of the political left.  There is nothing wrong with encouraging others to speak and behave as you wish.  It is absolutely wrong to force others to comply and to silence them if they do not.

If you agree with this article, can you please share it on Facebook and Twitter?