Free Speech: America’s Second Best Idea
”Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Action
are meaningless without Freedom to Think.”
Bergen Evans
What a pleasure it has been to enjoy Ken Burns’ The National Parks: America’s Best Idea on PBS (if you haven’t tuned in, it’s inspiring!) As I have been watching the nightly episodes, it occurred to me to consider America’s second best idea. I didn’t have to think long; the blogosphere offered a couple of controversies that confirmed my choice. If the Parks are America’s best idea (although I might suggest it could have been our consitutional democracy), then the second best idea is our First Amendment, and in particular freedom of speech.
The first event that influenced my choice is this week’s annual American Library Association celebration of Banned Books Week. For several years, I have commemorated this call to open-mindedness by participating in the Banned Books Read Out at the University of Texas at Tyler Robert R. Muntz Memorial Library. The U.T. Tyler librarians have invited local book lovers to each read out loud from books that have at one time or another been banned in a marathon of words that lasted all day. My past selections have included excerpts from Sylvia Plath’s and Allen Ginsburg’s poetry, Huck Finn, several children’s books and my all time favorite, To Kill a Mockingbird. In case you are wondering, you can find lists of the most frequently challenged titles at the ALA website . A local library friend, Joanne Buendtner, has a YouTube video on her library page that’s work a look! The conflicts at schools and libraries created by those who want to limit access to books is a reminder that Freedom of Speech is under assault everyday. Of course, I believe that most requests to remove books come from well-meaning but short-sighted people, who don’t realize that if censorship, once unleashed, runs rampant. The Bible’s Old Testament stories might be found by one person to be as disturbing as Evolution is to another! Still, Freedom of Speech is at the core of who we are, and we need to thank the ALA for defending it!
The second event that caught my attention is the unfolding news that, in the past few days, a FaceBook survey asked, Should Obama Be Killed? Now before you ask, “Are you kiddin’ me?!”, let me assure you I am not. As you can read at several blogs including the Huffington Post, FaceBookers were asked to answer: yes, no, maybe, or if he takes away my healthcare. As soon as it was reported, the poll was taken down and by now the Secret Service is investigating its source. Whatever happens, the incident is a reminder that social media has expanded the idea of Freedom of Speech, but that not even online remarks can include inciting others to consider a violent crime. I must say for some of us, this is a sign of the radical threat to America we fear most. It is at least an indication of the fuzzy line between saying what we believe and verbal abuse. We might all check our “speech” for that discernment!
So how can we make sure that we insure Freedom of Speech and still keep Americans safe? We can remember both the liberating and destructive power of words. We can recognize the value of the opinions of others, and we can act responsibly to insure open discussion without the threat of violence. We can also take the advice of Bergen Evans and use our Freedom of Thought!
This week, stretch your mind a little, and take note of the wonderful ALA Banned Book Week slogans:
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Know the First Amendment - it’s says a lot about who we are as Americans
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Read Banned Books - try reading a book you disagree with
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Speak Your Mind - stand up for what you believe
To those, I would add my own InSpiritry encouragements:
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Widen Your Lens
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Listen and Learn
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Keep an Open Mind
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Use a Gentle Heart
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Put Words to Work for the Greater Good
When We Honor Freedom of Speech, We Can Be a Blessing!
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October 12th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Enjoyed your aforementioned thoughts! We have a beautiful country, that has a great communications system, and an opportunity to really make relationships good, and right! However, for some odd reason our fellow media-citizens, like Russ Limbaugh, etc., seem to want to mis-use this opportunity, and make it a personal propaganda-tool to mis-inform the meek, weak, and lazy; and, to keep folks in a general state of misery, and blind distrust. Why? How? What can we do to keep these kind of individuals in check? People won’t read, they’re just hoping that the TV and wikipedia are factual, and not fiction.
They’re using public airwaves to not only attack our current president, but also to thwart our nations progress, while promoting their own lies, myths, and limited, warped opinions! A very sad state of affairs for all of us.
October 20th, 2009 at 7:09 am
Thanks, Pierre. I agree with your assessment. Those of us who believe in civil discourse and the respectabel exchange of ideas must keep speaking, keep writing, keep acting in ways that promote democracy!