Is Speech Free?

Is speech free? Can you really say almost anything you want? Obviously you can't yell "Fire" in a theater, or incite a riot, but other than that, can you say anything you want?

The answer is pretty much Yes. If you can handle the public response.

How many times have we heard people cut down President Bush or President Obama? I've heard it almost everyday. Not just their policies, but actually them. There has been some very vile things said about our leaders over the years. But, in no instance has the Government came after those for their comments. When Liberal talking heads like Keith Olbermann cut down President Bush, or now, when Conservative talking heads like Rush Limbaugh cut down President Obama, the Government does not go after them. They have a 1st Ammendment guarantee that their rants are protected from Government crack-down. Since they are not inciting illegal activities, just trying to change people's voting patterns, there is no need to crack down. That is exactly what the Founders intended, civil disagreement and freedom from Government repression for such.

But, sadly, there is a attempt to use this to shield people from other people not agreeing with them. A few years ago, the Dixie Chicks said that "they were ashamed that the President was from Texas". Holy hell broke loose at that point! They suffered a lot of backlash for the comments from ordinary Americans. Their career took a nosedive immediately. Once they realized what was happening, and the fact that a lot of people just didn't want to hear it, they fought back by screaming "we have freedom of speech". They played themselves as victims that were trying to be denied their freedom of speech. Far from it! No Government agency attempted to crack down on them. No action from the Justice Department was taken. No Government even tried to interfere with them saying what they wanted. They did have their rights to freedom of speech as defined by the Constitution.

But, nowhere in the Constitution does it say anything about being immune from backlash from the public. In the case of the Chicks, the backlash was huge. Sales dropped, radio play dried up, concert attendance plummeted, and generally people turned away from them. That is a right that the people have. They didn't agree with what they said, and reacted by turning their backs on them.

But, the Chicks reaction was outraegous. They started screaming about their "freedom of speech" right. They tried to play themselves as victims of a oppressive system, that they were trying to be silenced, and people were trying to denie them rights. Hardly! They said what they said, and were not punished by a Govt. Ordinary citizens turned on them. There is a difference.

The 1st Ammendment protects you from Government oppression for what you say, not public opinion against what you say. This misguided argument from the Chicks only damaged them more. They just didn't get it! They figured they could say what they wanted without anyone being mad. Wrong! The 1st Ammendment worked perfect here. No Government crackdown, but the people had the right to decide how they felt about what was said, and in the case of the Chicks, they didn't like it! Both rights worked perfect in this case.

So yes, speech is free. But, so is public reaction.