Is Free Speech Dead In Our Country?

First Amendment - Religion and Expression. 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.

Freedom of speech is one of the founding principles of our country. It s the right to communicate one's opinions and ideas without fear of  retaliation or censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used. Freedom of speech is not to be hindered simply because one does not like what is being said. However in our present society that is exactly what is happening. Our most basic right to express ourselves is being slowly eroded by over zealous individuals who have an aversion to the truth.

In the past members of the Klan held rallies in cities and towns all over the country. At these events the [Klan] proclaimed the superiority of the white race in front of God and country and no one batted an eye. Why? Because as Americans they had a civil right to speak their beliefs aloud. It did not matter if what they had to say was offensive to others or certain races of people didn't like what they had to say. In today's society one can hardly say a phrase in any direction without being crucified in the court of public opinion. It won't be long before our spoken opinions will no longer be the truth. The supreme court has weighed in on this subject by claiming "free speech is not absolute." The Supreme Court uses the example of the man who yells fire in a crowded theater to incite a panic to say all speech is not protected by the constitution. However when you read the First Amendment of the Constitution it does not state that some speech is protected. It states that ALL speech is protected. Furthermore it states that Congress shall make no law abridging free speech. Yet here we are discussing just how much freedom we have to say what we want. Personally I disagree with the Supreme Court on this subject. All speech is protected by the Constitution. As such, we as adults, have a responsibility to correctly
disseminate the information we receive from others. To use the Supreme Court's example, if a man yells fire in a crowded theater, we as individuals should determine whether or not that information is correct. Meaning before you trample several people getting out of the theater you might want take sure it is actually on fire first. To bring my point closer to home, just because I wrote a blog about a particularly sensitive subject doesn't mean those that didn't like what I had to say get to silence my right to free speech by falsely accusing me of being threatening, and twisting my words out of context. Being an American citizen I have the constitutionally protected right to voice my views as I see fit. Just as any other American does. The fact that one can be vilified for expressing his or her own thoughts and opinions sets a dangerous precident. When we start to allow the infringement of one of our rights we risk losing all of our rights.

How?

How do you let go of someone who has influenced your life so much? Someone who used to be just a phone call away, now unreachable. I find myself in a familiar fog of memories and depression. My uncle, the man who raised me, is no longer here to finish the journey with me. I'm trying to square myself with the notion but it somehow seems unfair. One moment I'm mad at the universe for taking him away and then the next I'm fighting back the pain and the tears wondering why. This man meant a great deal to me because he was the one who instilled the values I carry with me to this day. He loved and cared about me when I didn't have the sense to care for myself. Were it not for him and my older brothers I would not be the person I am today. I owe my uncle a debt I can't even begin to repay and now that he's gone I won't even get the opportunity to try. I remember the day I moved out on my own like it was yesterday. My uncle Lester sat me down, passed me his beer and proceeded to give me some valuable advice on life. After he finished he got up, gave me a hug and told me he loved me and if I ever needed to come home I'd always know where he was. He kept that promise to me. Anytime I needed him he was there. Now he's gone...and I'm having trouble squaring myself with this new reality. This pain keeps eating at me like a disease. People say things like "this will pass" and "it will get better" but in reality it doesn't. Time doesn't heal the wounds it just dulls the pain to a bearable level. Pain that replaces the love I carried for my uncle. I've grown tired of hearing the idiotic things people say when they're trying to comfort you. Things like "well, he's in a better place." All I can do is smile and nod while I'm thinking "really!?! How the f***k do you know?" This is another in a long line of hurts I'm still carrying for the loved ones I've lost over the years. I think one of the things that angers me most is I didn't see this coming. I didn't get the chance to plan or prepare for this. I don't get the chance to stop this or make this better. I can't ball up my fists and fight this with him or fight for him like I've so many times over the years. I can only stand by and watch. Sitting here on my hands doing nothing. How do I live with that?  One day he was a phone call away and the next he wasn't. I keep asking myself why him? If I'm feeling this way I can't even begin to imagine how my cousins must feel now. Their pain must be 10x what mine is. What can I do to be there for them? I don't know but calling them more often than I called my uncle is a start.