Ugly Truth Behind Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Speech. What a beautiful concept right? Say whatever you want regardless if it is intelligent or hurtful. Many a things can be hidden behind those three words. During the course of history, many a wrongs have been placated by holding up the sign: Freedom of Speech.
Back in college I was up late one night studying for a final exam, my downstairs neighbors, freshmen as they were, obviously thought that finals week meant party week. It was going on 4 in the morning and they were partying hard. My next door neighbor, nice pure american southern girl knocked on my door and asked me if the music was disturbing me as well. I told her that it was so we decided to go ask them to please turn the music down. We knocked on the door and she politely asked them to be considerate as we were studying for finals. Next day, about 11 at night, I heard a lot of noise again so I peeped through the peephole and I see a bunch of guys downstairs holding back my downstairs neighbor, the freshman. He is yelling: "Let me go. I want that pussy-ass nigga to come down again so I can fucking whoop her ass." Freedom of speech, right? Apparently you can call people names, insult them, be prejudiced, be racial, be ignorant and claim you are practicing freedom of speech.
I don't believe Freedom of Speech was meant for these purposes. It was not meant to insult or be hurtful, yet it is branded about as such.
Last Carnival in St. Maarten I was sitting with friends watching the parade. We claimed our spot from the morning, sat through the noon sun and finally the parade was there. Some tourist decided that our spot was the best so he was standing there. He grabbed one of our empty sacks and stuffed his beer in it. As the parade drew closer he pushed to the front until he was gyrating his hips right behind my friend's daughter. I politely asked him if he can step back a little bit because honestly the sight of a grown man pushing his package on this 5 year old head is very disturbing. He refused. He refused because he has a right to stand wherever he wants and we can't say anything about it. He is exercising his freedom. The police got there and he advised us to call them and they will tell us that he doesn't have to move. You understand that I was more than happy to oblige so when I explained to the chief of police why we are asking this man to move, even the chief was shocked. The man than told us (including the police) that he was a tourist and we need him. We can't afford to offend him or do him anything because we are all small-island residents who rely on tourists. Again, freedom of speech. Designed to give voice to those who are not heard yet used to hide pettiness and ignorance.
A friend is in New York visiting, being a tourist, a couple of weeks after 9/11 and she comments on all the patriotism she sees. A state that has lost thousands of fathers, mothers, daughters and sons, friends and lovers are not allowed to express that lost because someone else finds it offense. Disgusting I believe was the word she used. Disgusted by all the patriotism. Freedom of Speech.
Words are things that we use to express ourselves and I don't think people realize that it is also the one thing that shows what our character is like. I'm passionate about it and sometimes if gets me really angry when people use them to mask their true feelings or to play big. There is nothing truer than the saying : if you don't have anything nice to say than don't say anything at all. Be constructive or be quiet. Be considerate and understanding and not stupid.
Back in college I was up late one night studying for a final exam, my downstairs neighbors, freshmen as they were, obviously thought that finals week meant party week. It was going on 4 in the morning and they were partying hard. My next door neighbor, nice pure american southern girl knocked on my door and asked me if the music was disturbing me as well. I told her that it was so we decided to go ask them to please turn the music down. We knocked on the door and she politely asked them to be considerate as we were studying for finals. Next day, about 11 at night, I heard a lot of noise again so I peeped through the peephole and I see a bunch of guys downstairs holding back my downstairs neighbor, the freshman. He is yelling: "Let me go. I want that pussy-ass nigga to come down again so I can fucking whoop her ass." Freedom of speech, right? Apparently you can call people names, insult them, be prejudiced, be racial, be ignorant and claim you are practicing freedom of speech.
I don't believe Freedom of Speech was meant for these purposes. It was not meant to insult or be hurtful, yet it is branded about as such.
Last Carnival in St. Maarten I was sitting with friends watching the parade. We claimed our spot from the morning, sat through the noon sun and finally the parade was there. Some tourist decided that our spot was the best so he was standing there. He grabbed one of our empty sacks and stuffed his beer in it. As the parade drew closer he pushed to the front until he was gyrating his hips right behind my friend's daughter. I politely asked him if he can step back a little bit because honestly the sight of a grown man pushing his package on this 5 year old head is very disturbing. He refused. He refused because he has a right to stand wherever he wants and we can't say anything about it. He is exercising his freedom. The police got there and he advised us to call them and they will tell us that he doesn't have to move. You understand that I was more than happy to oblige so when I explained to the chief of police why we are asking this man to move, even the chief was shocked. The man than told us (including the police) that he was a tourist and we need him. We can't afford to offend him or do him anything because we are all small-island residents who rely on tourists. Again, freedom of speech. Designed to give voice to those who are not heard yet used to hide pettiness and ignorance.
A friend is in New York visiting, being a tourist, a couple of weeks after 9/11 and she comments on all the patriotism she sees. A state that has lost thousands of fathers, mothers, daughters and sons, friends and lovers are not allowed to express that lost because someone else finds it offense. Disgusting I believe was the word she used. Disgusted by all the patriotism. Freedom of Speech.
Words are things that we use to express ourselves and I don't think people realize that it is also the one thing that shows what our character is like. I'm passionate about it and sometimes if gets me really angry when people use them to mask their true feelings or to play big. There is nothing truer than the saying : if you don't have anything nice to say than don't say anything at all. Be constructive or be quiet. Be considerate and understanding and not stupid.
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