|
- You hear a lot about free speech these days, often from people who in a breath’s time are telling someone else to shut up.
The problem with free speech is that too many people throw it into a conversation (usually as a way to end it and get their way) without truly understanding what it is. I am in no way an expert on free speech, but when compared to the cyber lawyers I’ve run into, I’m a freakin’ genius.
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.
That should be pretty simple to understand. Obviously there are restrictions to free speech, including fighting words, true threats, incitement to to crime, and some others. Nobody really seems to argue about those.
What people do argue is that they have the right to say whatever they want with no consequences. That’s the sticky glue trap so many people step into. The first amendment protects people from the government for what they say. Yet, much as people have with the second amendment, people have decided to reinterpret the first. Now people think they can say what they want and not face employment consequences or judgment consequences. I see people all-cap “FREEDOM OF SPEECH! FREEDOM OF SPEECH!” But you already have freedom of speech. Freedom of speech doesn’t protect you from being fired because your employers don’t think you represent them well. It doesn’t mean people can’t judge you.
It doesn’t mean you can tell other people that you’re using your freedom of speech and they should shut the hell up about it. You can do that, but it’s not freedom of speech. It’s you being an asshole.
I’m probably coming across as a luddite or perhaps just one of those cranky old man standing in his yard with his black socks and slippers, shouting at “you damn kids,” but I do think that modern technology is something hide behind in their “freedom of speech” cries. Not only do people feel they should be able to say whatever they want, but now they also have this nifty thing, the Internet, which allows them to say whatever they want to whomever they want without having to face a possible punch in the nose for it.
