Thursday, November 26, 2015

Americans willingly giving up the First Amendment?


Nancy Smith of Sunshine State News just wrote an article What's happened to Our Will to Preserve Free Speech?

She says that "the fact that 40 percent of millennials think government censorship of free speech -- even if it might be interpreted by some as bigoted and offensive -- is a good thing ... that is a problem. Forty percent. Think about it: You either live in a free country or you don’t. And a government that can sanction or punish you for giving your opinion is not the government of a free country and it certainly isn't the government of the one our forefathers founded."

We see this in our own city. Take invocations as an example, said before city commission meetings.  It was easier censoring a message that some didn't want to hear by eliminating the appeal for inspiration and guidance altogether, part of our history. The small minority of people who feared the message (atheists) won and government is giving in to what they consider "political correctness" to protect the feelings, perceived or fabricated, of the few.

What is more important? Following like a sheep and under the thumb of government censorship or just being cordial and respectful while still having your First Amendment rights and allowed to say what you believe?  With the Millennials, social media has opened up their ability for free speech, so their reaction to agreeing with censorship, sanctions, or even government punishment for saying what you think is puzzling to say the least.

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