Only In America

The Freedom of Speech

If you web search my name, you will find this blog and my listing under many different social networks. You will find my Facebook, Myspace and even Classmates account. You will also find my comments offered on many other blogs from Representative John Boehner’s website to Politico, the Daily Beast, many less known blogs and numerous newspaper comment sections. The one you will find the most prevalent is the one I can be found on, when not blogging an article. That network is Twitter. Now, I follow far more people than follow me. I do not follow as many people as I would like to but, I am working on it. Slowly I am adding people with a wide range of opinions. Mostly political opinions but, I am open to all topics and subject matter. Of late, I have slowed down a bit with the articles on this blog because I have been extremely busy with my work (must pay bills) and running a household. So, to give quick opinions and hear what others are saying, I will Tweet here and there and read what is going on around the world. I realize that most of the conversation is overall varied, depending on who is active at the moment. The one thing I am always amazed with is the opinions given, at whom they are directed at and to what extreme of emotion is presented with the commentary.


When Iran had their Presidential election a few months ago, it was the internet, in particular Twitter, that kept the world abreast of the appalling events that took place in the streets of that torn country. Facebook and Myspace played a part as well. I think of how it was reported, that the government of Iran, was attempting to stop any news from reaching out to the world. How all of us hung on to every piece of information that was released, mostly through Twitter, showing the chaos and at times carnage of that brutal regime.

I also remember, fairly recently, of how debate had taken place about Google and the problems they have had with the Chinese government, trying to dictate the content allowed, from their search engine. To finally realizing the Chinese government was blocking sites that they felt were derogatory to their regime and what was felt to be the betterment of the Chinese people.

The following is the First Amendment as it is written in the Bill Of Rights from the following; http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/Teach/freeResources/FoundingDocuments/Docs/TheBillofRights.asp
Amendment I
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.

I enjoy the Freedom of Speech observed every time I log onto Twitter. I enjoy giving my opinion, as well as, reading the opinions of others, whether I disagree with them or not. People talk about everything and anything. I can get financial advice, pet advice, spousal advice (no wait, I get that at home) criticism of the Republican and Democratic view points, along with direct attacks at President Obama under the claim of patriotism. Even comments are made about the past administration and politicians overall. Who is a crook (which is just about all of them) who is not (cannot quite answer that one).

Healthcare is being kicked around harder than a soccer ball in a championship game. I read the Tweets of people who call themselves patriots and for the conservative movement, while calling the present administration Socialists or even Communists. I picture Nikita Khrushchev in my mind banging his shoe on the table in the early sixties when I hear Communism. I think about the Minuteman Missile Silo, that was located a mile from my childhood home, ready to launch during the Cuban Missile Crisis when I hear the word Communism. Yet, due to freedom of Speech, I read how loosely people use this term and others to give their personal opinions. A right that only a very few nations of democracy allow.

So, whether abused for an agenda, or used to make a civilized point, freedom of speech is a right that we can never afford to lose. So, unlike any other right that could be threatened, when this one goes, so go them all. Let us try not to abuse it but we damn well better make sure we always fight for it.

That’s How I See It.

Websites of reference;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikita_Khrushchev
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/26/opinion/26iht-edtaubman_ed3_.html
http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/Teach/freeResources/FoundingDocuments/Docs/TheBillofRights.asp