Free Speech?

The Christianity Today Blog is running a story today about the Supreme Court taking up the case of the funeral protests by the Kansas Bases Westboro Baptist Church. If you are unfamiliar with these protests this is group that attends military funerals, and stages protests outside and along the route that the procession will follow. They often hold signs slurring service men and women and their roll in the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

Now I think these people are horrible and I think their tactics are wrong but I also feel that they have the right to stand where ever they wish and make their feels known. Is this not the very thing that our troops are fighting for in the Middle East? This is the very essence of a free society is the ability of anyone to make their feelings know. We may not agree with their words but they have the right to say them.

Again is there a better way to make their feelings know, yes I would say that standing outside a funeral in protest is wrong and I would hope that they would find another avenue for their protest but I have to defend their right to do so.

Yesterday I posted a story on Facebook about Glen Beck’s most recent tirade. On a recent program he likened churches involved in Social Justice to the Nazi and the Communists. Now I think Glen Beck is a rabble rouser that is just in it for the ratings. He is not a newsman but an entertainer and the people who think he is a newsman really need to rethink their notion of news. Okay that is my opinion, and this is my blog so I am entitled to my opinion. LOL

As much as I detest what Mr. Beck has said I applaud his right to say it. Again that is what it means to live in a free society. I have quoted Michael Douglas from the 1995 movie “American President” on these pages before. In the movie he gives a great speech and there is one line that sums up what I am trying to say:

“You want free speech? Let’s see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who’s standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.”

Now some of you will call him a liberal, whatever that means, and maybe he is but I think he hits the nail right on the head.

If you disagree with the protesters right to protest then I say we need to bring all of our troops home right now because that is exactly what we are fighting for, peoples rights. I take issue with their method but not with their right to do it.

1 Comment

  1. I agree freedom of speech is important and coming from a family where most of the men,including my son,served during some sort of war I have to say that respecting a families funeral is also a right.
    If you choose to protest do not do so when a family is in pain that is "unchristian",especially for a church to do,it does not hit at loving your neighbor when your adding pain on top of an already hurtful situation.
    I can remember being a teen and the soldiers coming home from Vietnam,my brother included,could not wear their uniforms in airports because they would be berated and spat on.
    Freedom of speech is a good thing.treating people badly with you speech and actions is a not such a good thing.linda

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