From a Conservative viewpoint, I believe the First Amendment to the United States Constitution gives me the right to express my opinion within certain parameters set by law. I am allowed to speak freely, openly, and publicly on matters of politics, religion, morality, financial pursuits, favorite sports teams and any other of a myriad of subjects that may strike my fancy.
I can mount a soapbox in the local park, being careful not to block the right of way, nor violate any noise restrictions or other local ordinances, urinate on the trees or defecate on cop cars. As long as I pick up my soapbox when I am finished. I can tout the qualifications of my favorite candidate for Mayor, or dogcatcher…or to make known my reasons for supporting or opposing the new Topless Bar being built in the neighborhood. All this is conditional of course on my agreement to vacate the park at the closing time stated on the sign at the entrance.
I am permitted to write letters to the President of the United States, and any or all of my elected officials, and those other elected officials in both houses of congress or in my State House as well, assuming of course that I do not threaten them with bodily harm nor call them no-good sons-of-bitches, no matter how fervently I believe them to be no-good sons-of-bitches.
I can write to newspapers and tell them how I feel about the new bond issue, or their endorsement of the new spending bill; or I can call in to the local radio station and register a complaint, if I am willing to be put on hold for a half hour or so, and talk for a maybe a minute before the egomaniac talk show host cuts me off.
I can post my opinions on political discussion boards, online magazine forums, or any number of miscellaneous Blogs and Websites, and tell members of the opposition political party just what schmucks I think they are…as long as I am not offended by being called a schmuck in return.
My freedom of speech is not limited by any movement of design of government. It is limited only by the rights of others. It is limited by the right of others to be safe and secure from harassment, intimidation, and assault. As the old saying goes: My right to swing my arms, ends where the other fellow’s nose begins.
The First Amendment does not give one individual the right to delay, interrupt or disrupt a meeting, a forum, a speech, or any other public or private gathering in which others are involved and are participating.
A hundred voices do not have the right to stifle one voice but neither does the one voice have the right to drown out the hundred. Freedom of Speech does not override law and decorum. I have learned in my lifetime that there are consequences, some good some bad, to almost everything we do. I can say just about anything I choose to say, publicly or privately. If I get punched in the nose for it…well, like they say…Freedom isn’t Free.
Freedom of speech is a gate that swings both ways. It is a right to say what we want to say but it is not a right to hear only that which we wish to hear. If we are not willing to allow others the same right, then we are not deserving of ours.
All things must be done in order or there will be anarchy. Anarchy does not recognize the First Amendment, nor does it pay much attention to the following nine.
Jack Dallas
I can mount a soapbox in the local park, being careful not to block the right of way, nor violate any noise restrictions or other local ordinances, urinate on the trees or defecate on cop cars. As long as I pick up my soapbox when I am finished. I can tout the qualifications of my favorite candidate for Mayor, or dogcatcher…or to make known my reasons for supporting or opposing the new Topless Bar being built in the neighborhood. All this is conditional of course on my agreement to vacate the park at the closing time stated on the sign at the entrance.
I am permitted to write letters to the President of the United States, and any or all of my elected officials, and those other elected officials in both houses of congress or in my State House as well, assuming of course that I do not threaten them with bodily harm nor call them no-good sons-of-bitches, no matter how fervently I believe them to be no-good sons-of-bitches.
I can write to newspapers and tell them how I feel about the new bond issue, or their endorsement of the new spending bill; or I can call in to the local radio station and register a complaint, if I am willing to be put on hold for a half hour or so, and talk for a maybe a minute before the egomaniac talk show host cuts me off.
I can post my opinions on political discussion boards, online magazine forums, or any number of miscellaneous Blogs and Websites, and tell members of the opposition political party just what schmucks I think they are…as long as I am not offended by being called a schmuck in return.
My freedom of speech is not limited by any movement of design of government. It is limited only by the rights of others. It is limited by the right of others to be safe and secure from harassment, intimidation, and assault. As the old saying goes: My right to swing my arms, ends where the other fellow’s nose begins.
The First Amendment does not give one individual the right to delay, interrupt or disrupt a meeting, a forum, a speech, or any other public or private gathering in which others are involved and are participating.
A hundred voices do not have the right to stifle one voice but neither does the one voice have the right to drown out the hundred. Freedom of Speech does not override law and decorum. I have learned in my lifetime that there are consequences, some good some bad, to almost everything we do. I can say just about anything I choose to say, publicly or privately. If I get punched in the nose for it…well, like they say…Freedom isn’t Free.
Freedom of speech is a gate that swings both ways. It is a right to say what we want to say but it is not a right to hear only that which we wish to hear. If we are not willing to allow others the same right, then we are not deserving of ours.
All things must be done in order or there will be anarchy. Anarchy does not recognize the First Amendment, nor does it pay much attention to the following nine.
Jack Dallas