Friday, March 26, 2010

What? I was Only Joking When I Said "DIE!"

Freedom of speech “is the freedom to speak without censorship and/or limitation.” (Wikipedia.org). It is each persons duty to exercise our protected rights with adequate especially when it can invoke violent actions. How do we draw the line from freedom of speech and “criminal speech”? Some things are obvious, such as falsely yelling “BOMB” on a plane or “FIRE” around a crowd of people intending to cause panic and disorder. In “The Violent Consequences of Conservative Speech" by Michael J.W. Stickings he speaks about (as stated in the title) the violent consequences of speech which focuses on the political issues such as the health-care reform and the threats to Congressmen to not vote yes. Stickings is calling attention to conservatives and says, “But what do you think is going to happen when you call the president illegitimate, a foreigner who essentially stole the election? Or when you stoke fears of a socialist-fascist takeover of government and of government assault on freedom? Do you not think that some out there will convert your speech to action -- hording guns, building bunkers, and otherwise preparing for violence? And do you not think that some will actually take to the streets to wage whatever war they think you're calling on them to wage?” Its true that they need to be more aware of how their words are interpreted. Then there are those that should not say anything at all; “Pinson, Alabama-based blogger Mike Vanderboegh has been tracking the breaking of windows at Dem offices after issuing a call Friday: 'To all modern Sons of Liberty: THIS is your time. Break their windows. Break them NOW.'” It's absolutely (for lack of a better word) inappropriate to solicit violent actions towards a person(s). He is right to call it terrorism.

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