Is freedom of speech really worth potentially upsetting someone?

[JB Books]

I voted "yes." Freedom of speech is one of the most important rights we have. Unfortunately, we are in an time when that freedom is often twisted and used against the speaker. Political Correctness is a cancer and it has, and is, killing our ability to solve problems by engaging in honest debate. Add that to the relative immaturity of our people (all of us), and we end up simply attacking one another and playing the blame game instead of actually moving towards actually solving problems. Also, there are far too many people on both the Right and the Left, who only support freedom of speech when it is speech with which they agree. That's just plain hypocrisy.

For those of you complaining about us closing threads, take the topic of race. It is extremely difficult to have a discussion on the subject because either someone wants to be "funny," or someone just cannot contain their racism and has to use derogatory language. It is one thing to say the Black Community has issues that are unique to their community and talk about those issues and try to understand them. It's quite another to refer to Blacks as "hood rats" and "welfare queens." While you have a right to say what you want, I have a right to take it off. I have rarely banned anyone except the most egregious posters. You do have a right to be a racist, just don't whine if society marginalizes you and your beliefs.

Maybe if we (Americans) actually took the time to try and understand why we feel and believe as we do, we could reach a point where race and religion do not matter so much. Maybe then we could reach a point where are collective differences are regarded with some respectful appreciation, and as a source of national strength, instead of something to divide us and keep us distracted from improving the quality of life for ALL Americans.

 

[Mr.357Sig]

.....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nofearfactor]

Maybe if we (Americans) could reach a point where race and religion do not matter so much.

Sadly, but gladly, that will most likely be your sons world. My own kids are 19-25, my wifes youngest of her 2 just turned 18, they all seem to be in a different place than my generation in school in the 80s.

 

[Glocktogo]

I voted "yes." Freedom of speech is one of the most important rights we have. Unfortunately, we are in an time when that freedom is often twisted and used against the speaker. Political Correctness is a cancer and it has, and is, killing our ability to solve problems by engaging in honest debate. Add that to the relative immaturity of our people (all of us), and we end up simply attacking one another and playing the blame game instead of actually moving towards actually solving problems. Also, there are far too many people on both the Right and the Left, who only support freedom of speech when it is speech with which they agree. That's just plain hypocrisy.

For those of you complaining about us closing threads, take the topic of race. It is extremely difficult to have a discussion on the subject because either someone wants to be "funny," or someone just cannot contain their racism and has to use derogatory language. It is one thing to say the Black Community has issues that are unique to their community and talk about those issues and try to understand them. It's quite another to refer to Blacks as "hood rats" and "welfare queens." While you have a right to say what you want, I have a right to take it off. I have rarely banned anyone except the most egregious posters. You do have a right to be a racist, just don't whine if society marginalizes you and your beliefs.

Maybe if we (Americans) actually took the time to try and understand why we feel and believe as we do, we could reach a point where race and religion do not matter so much. Maybe then we could reach a point where are collective differences are regarded with some respectful appreciation, and as a source of national strength, instead of something to divide us and keep us distracted from improving the quality of life for ALL Americans.

One of the things I thing that's been taken from us all is the right to have certain emotions or feelings that run contrarly to popular opinion. You have to be able to express yourself without reprisal. otherwise it stays bottled up until the pressure makes it come out in bad ways.

At the same time, I think after those emotions are aired, a reasonable person should be able to set them aside and address problems with reasoned logic and debate. If all you can bring to the adults table is demands and complaints, you shouldn't expect (and in many cases demand) to be taken seriously. Come with some solutions or some willingness to engage more than just your mouth. Otherwise, you're just part of the problem.

 

[Diverdon]

There is a reason the founding fathers put the first amendment first. Of course all ten of the amendments in the bill of rights are essential to our freedom.

 

[uncle money bags]

Welcome to the show New York.
I, for one, am glad to see this thread; born from the ashes of a comment in a closed thread, remain on topic and civil after 7 pages. Attempts to troll were ignored, and passed by in favor of the high road, mostly.

 

[Dave70968]

There is a reason the founding fathers put the first amendment first. Of course all ten of the amendments in the bill of rights are essential to our freedom.

...actually, they didn't; the Bill of Rights was originally twelve amendments, not ten; the first two didn't pass.

 

[dennishoddy]

What were the first two that didn't pass?

 

[uncle money bags]

http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/21861

 

[ignerntbend]

...actually, they didn't; the Bill of Rights was originally twelve amendments, not ten; the first two didn't pass.

The Bill of Rights, as all reasonably well read individuals will affirm, originally contained twenty amendments, but by the time Henry made it down from the mountain eight of them were infused illegibly to his ass and by the time Madison pried them off, no one could make heads nor tails of them.