Right to say it!

Freedom of speech is a funny thing here in North America. This goes back to that time last year when the world was in an uproar over 12 cartoons. Cartoons that some viewed as nothing more than a humours shot in the dark whereas some viewed them to be such a horrible thing on the sight of religion and humanity that buildings were burned, people were killed, money was offered for people to be killed, items were boycotted and embassies were evacuated. Though somewhere deep in the USA, in the peaceful little world of Michigan, a university professor writes a letter with his own free speech in mind, telling that Muslim people in the states could practice their 'freedom of movement' and leave.

Here is the link:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/wichman.asp

was he right in doing this? who knows. After all, it all depends on what side of the fence you are sitting on when it comes to free speech. I have always been seen as a bad person in this area since I believe in total free speech. Free speech being you have the right and the ability to say whatever you want, whenever you want to whomever you want. HOWEVER, you having that right does not mean that you have to use that right every single time. I have the right to go up to a catholic person on the street and tell them that personally I think that religion is just a crutch used by small minded people to deal with things like death, life and hardships that they can not rationally deal with in reality so therefore create a supernatural being to take the burden off them. I do have this right. Now, whether I choose to exercise this right is something entirely different. I can just as well walk by those Catholics and say nothing because I know that if I say something that it will be hurtful and callous. But if I did say it to them, then they have the right to call me a heathen swine and curse me to however many levels of demon hell they wish. That is their right as well.

I often get attacked by friends because I dont defend those around me. Supposedly if I loved my parents, friends, significant other, I am to defend their honour by beating up anyone that says an unkind word about them. Someone says "your mother is so fat, her doctor doesnt test for blood, they test for gravy" and I am to go to war with that person. No, in my mind that doesnt work. If a person says something bad about someone I care about the reaction is simple. I say it is untrue, I dont care for those words and I wont speak to those people ever again.

What we dont have the right to do is beat, burn, kill, maim, destroy or rape other human beings. 'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names shall never hurt me'. How come those simple things told by kids in playgrounds in North America suddenly get forgotten by us adults when we grow up? Whatever happened to “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” - Voltaire.

So, though while I may or may not agree with what this professor has to say, I shall defend to the death his right to say it.