NaBloWriMo - Thursday Tirade - 2

So last week I wrote about how the Christians are stealing my holidays.  Yeah that’s putting it a bit bluntly but that’s pretty much what my post was about.  This week I've decided to talk about something that annoying the hell out of me.  Free speech.  Yes, you saw that right free speech.

Let me clarify.  I believe that we should be about to have free speech.  But the issue here is that people think that the “Freedom of Speech” means ANY SPEECH, when actually it doesn't.  Here is the text:

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.

Meaning… the GOVERNMENT cannot make a law or prohibit the exercise of free speech.  That means, that if I go outside and yell obscenities to the top of my lungs, I cannot claim FREE SPEECH when my neighbor sues me for disturbing the peace.  Now if the City comes in and says you cannot be a pagan, or you cannot be Hecatean, then we've got a different kettle of fish.

Free speech does not protect any ole dumb-ass thing you want to say.  Granted in the United States ever single American Citizen is entitled to be a complete ass, that’s our Constitution given right.  However, your rights end where mine begin.  (Notice I didn't say God given right)

So where am I going with all this?  A little while ago someone made a movie that depicted Muhammad in an “unfavorable” light.  Knowing full well that those that follow Muhammad would be, well let’s just say unhappy.  These unhappy people then go kill someone.  THEN our people in the US blame the President.  Being a paralegal I have to look at a few things here.

First and foremost those attacking the embassy were wrong.  You really shouldn't just go around killing people.  In this day and age we need to stop thinking its OK to just go blow people up.  That being said, let’s look at something called mutual culpability.    Mutual culpability means that yes, I’m guilty, but you know what… he/she is guilty too.  Because we were in it together, we are both culpable for the crime.  In my humble opinion the film maker is responsible too, but for his actions, the embassy would not have been attacked.  Finally, blaming the President for either of these things is just stupid.  Let me break it down for you.

Dude, he’s a guy.  Just some guy.  He doesn't have a big button next to his bed labeled “Let’s screw with the Republicans today”. He’s not controlling gas prices with the flip of a switch, nor is he in charge of creating jobs. 

We live in a country where there are checks and balances in place.  Our government is not running smoothly because we are not working together to create a better life for our children.  Instead our country is being run in such a way to line the pockets of Big Oil and Big Agriculture.  More people in our government used to work for Monsanto than are actually elected.  Look it up!

So that’s my tirade.  Say want you want to say but don’t walk around waving the old red white and blue when actually what you’re saying isn't free speech, it could be considered hate speech.  We’ll all be much better off when we learn to not “speaking” so much and start listening.

Namaste & Blessed Be

Sosanna

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