IDoNotGetIt

Lately, it seems like there has been a lot of free expression issues in the news.  We’ve had the controversy over PZ’s “cracker”, we’ve had the “Jesus Sucks” banner and we’ve had the atheist sticker issue, among others.

This has really got me thinking about how lucky we are, as some of these have occurred in other countries that don’t have the same freedom of expression guaranteed by their constitution that we do.  It is scary if you do a little research to see how often people go to jail in other countries just for saying something that people find offensive.  Holocaust denial will get you thrown in jail in many European countries.  In my book this falls into the category of evil.  It is wrong, in my opinion, to disallow people to say things just because they are stupid.  But it is unconscionable to throw them in jail because they say something stupid.  Idiots that spew their hatred and ignorance should be marginalized by the rest of us but they should not be thrown in jail.

In the United States, we don’t have to worry about going to jail for saying something that someone else doesn’t like but we might have to suffer through a lawsuit.  Fellow atheist, Patrick, was offended by a sticker that called him a “fool”, so he decided to sue, then in a similarly offensive jab at the other side, the “Jesus Sucks” banner offended the Christians.  They also had at least one nut who decided that something must be done.  Since the “Jesus Sucks” offense happened in Canada, they may actually have a case, I’m not sure.

My point is that we should be able to get over being offended.  We shouldn’t have the right to stop people from speaking their minds just because we don’t like what they are saying.  Personally, I think restricting people’s freedom of expression is equivalent to restricting their freedom of movement.  Whether you are tying their legs or tying their tongue, you are still causing an undue restriction to their freedom.

The laws in Canada and European countries that make certain offensive speech illegal, and punishable by jail time, are wrong in-so-far as they are unnecessary to protect the general population and are anti-freedom.  I believe that laws that restrict or basic freedoms should only be levied when they are absolutely necessary to protect the public.  Speech that is hateful, irrational, unpopular, etc. but does not specifically incite other illegal activity should be allowed.

I am so grateful for the brilliant foresight of the men who penned the Constitution of the United States, guaranteeing Americans this basic freedom.