Here’s a quiz: What does the term “freedom of speech” mean? Can it be referring to anything other than just verbal expression? For example, is art freedom of speech? Is giving money to a political candidate freedom of speech? How about public demonstrations?
Are they freedom of speech and are there limits on speech? It has been said one has the freedom to swing one’s fist through the air but that freedom stops just short of my nose, so there are definitely some limits, but what should they be?
Emory University comes to mind. Someone drew in chalk on the sidewalks the phrase “Trump in 2016,” which offended some of the students. In fact, they were so offended they had to have counseling to soothe their shattered nerves. They then demanded a “safe space” so they wouldn’t have to be exposed to such harmful words. The school is actually considering their grievance.
Yale has had its problems, too. It seems the journalism department is closed to any ideas other than the most liberal. In fact, most of these expensive universities seem closed to any ideas which they deem non-progressive. That, it seems, would include the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
I have some news for these schools and their students. Outside of the hallowed walls of these closed-minded schools is the real world with real people. They work and play as free Americans. They speak their minds and sometimes their speech might appear hateful to one group or another.
Too bad.
Freedom of speech gives us all the right to express ourselves even if our expression might be hurtful to someone else. No one is guaranteed the right to never be offended.
The op-ed page of newspapers is a bastion of freedom of expression. What you are now reading is my expression of free speech and you have that same right. Rarely do I agree with most newspapers’ editorials, but I defend their right to express themselves just as I have the right to express mine.
Some universities have cancelled certain commencement speakers because of their politics. That’s “mind control” or “brainwashing” in my opinion. In other words, if you do not keep in step with the university’s belief system of progressive liberal politics, you cannot express yours.
If you are a parent of a student who is being brainwashed, how does that make you feel? How do you like the fact your child is not allowed to hear any dissenting views? How do you think they will react when they surely hear such dissension after they leave school?
Were it not for our strong capitalist economy, a strong military, a government based on freedom guaranteed by our Bill of Rights and our Constitution, there wouldn’t even be schools of higher learning.
These liberal professors who have never had to actually work and make a profit but feel compelled to spew their nonsense would be better served by taking a sabbatical and getting a real job for awhile. They need to see how it is in the real world. I once heard the quickest way to become a Republican is to get a job and a mortgage. That usually cures liberalism.
We absolutely cannot take our freedoms for granted. To ask which of our freedoms is most important would be like choosing your favorite child. Picking one’s favorite freedom is difficult, but freedom of speech would have to rank very high.
