Controlling Free Speech

​

In the brilliance of the Founding Fathers, the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, among other guarantees. Simply put, an individual has the right to express one’s self in public or in private directly or via a technologic device. Censorship of expression is un-American.

​

Free speech is free speech regardless is someone else dubs it hate speech or micro-aggression. And what are the operation definitions of hate speech and micro-aggression? The judgment of what is and what isn’t cannot be determined. So one never knows when one is guilty of committing the crime of going over the line. Yet the ambiguity of these terms is effective in silencing free speech for fear of the possibility of being guilty of something!

​

Let us now deal with the phenomenon of being “offended”. It is a travesty of maturity for chronology adults to get offended at the least little thing. My thought is “grow-up.”

​

Free speech does have responsible limits. It is not reasonable to yell fire inside a crowded building when there is no fire. I have never heard of any situation when this has occurred. So people inherently know the limits of the right of free speech. And there is etiquette in topic and language when children are present. Again most adults understand manners.

​

The real concern today relates to censorship and political correctness. To disallow a presentation at a venue of someone who holds a different view is un-American. To prohibit a position not held by those in control of a venue is also un-American.

​

Note that free speech allows for stimulation of divergent thought and creativity.