The definition of Free Speech seems to depend on who you ask or where you look for a clarification.  If you go to the Constitution, which is rarely done today by activist judges, politicians, media pundits, activist, and liberals, you find the foundation for the true definition.  If you believe the constitution is an ever evolving living document you will likely manipulate it to mean whatever you desire and those of the same ideology as you desire.

I read an article, some time back, in which the writer described her three children and how they liked to torment each other in various ways.  She described a scene at the dinner table in which the eldest was tormenting his youngest sister with words and everything descended into a shouting match with each telling the other to ‘shut up.’  She sought to bring order to the chaos and decided it would be a good teaching moment and asked each of the children to define “Freedom of Speech” to her.  The eldest son gave a textbook constitutional definition using the words of the 1^st Amendment and insisted it covered everyone.  The next child was a little less specific and with a few modifications largely agreed with the 1^st child.  Then the 5-year old’s turn came and the writer realized that this child had given it a great deal of thought and said, “Freedom of Speech means that you have the right to say whatever you want, so long as I agree with you.”  That is revealing and is the prevailing mindset of the leftist, liberals, and activist of today.  I will acknowledge that there are some on the Right who also seek to silence by various means anyone disagreeing with them but those on the Left continually seeks to silence opposing voices.  The writer said that as she reflected on the answers of her children she realized that her children were flowing in three political streams, at this juncture of their lives.  The eldest was a constitutional conservative, the middle child, a libertarian, and the youngest a liberal.

The incessant attempts to silence all conservative voices reveals the attitude expressed by the youngest child, “You can say anything you want, so long as I agree with you.”   College professors are seeking to censor anyone disagreeing with the liberal mantra.  Climate Change activists seek to silence all speech and scientific data that disagrees with their position.  Open Border proponents seek to silence all speech or action that would secure our borders, identify Illegal immigration as a crime and maintain our national sovereignty.   The Democrats want to protect the right of “Freedom of Speech” for those spewing hate against whites, Republicans, and constitutionalist.  However, they want to silence any voice that decries the hate, defends the constitution, calls for border security, fiscal sanity in government, lifting restrictions, ceasing to fund abortions with taxpayer funds, etc.  Those of us who warn of the dangers of Islamic jihadism are branded Islamophobic and told to SHUT UP.  Those of us who defend the Unborn Child in the womb’s right to live are told to BE QUIET and called haters of women.

Speech is not FREE if it does not apply to everyone.  I may not like what they are saying but they have a right to say it.  I have the right to challenge it, counter it with factual and reasonable evidence and discourse but I do not have the right to insist anyone be silenced simply because I disagree.  There are limitations to the right to speak and those are illustrated in the Law that you cannot yell FIRE in a crowded theater or public place when there is no fire.  That would cause panic and possibly or probably result in bodily harm to some or many.  You cannot use your speech to INCITE riots and criminal behavior.  You can argue your belief and even insist that one race is superior to another, but you cannot call for murder and violence and encourage or direct people to break the law.  That is not Freedom of Speech as described in the 1^st Amendment.  “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech; or of the press; or the right of people PEACEABLE to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”   Note the word PEACEABLE! 

The protests that have occurred as a result of Donald Trump’s election were often not PEACEABLE.  The protest on college campuses to prevent any conservative voice from being heard have largely anything but PEACEABLE.  The calls of Hollywood celebrities, race mongers, activist, and agitators to rape the 1^st lady and the president’s daughters, kill the president, kill whites, main, disrupt, and destroy property and industry does not fall within the provisions of the 1^st Amendment.  You have the right to stand in a public gathering and declare that you believe you or your race is superior to others so long as you do it peaceably.  You have the right to protest the actions of any sitting president and present your argument for your position so long as you do it peaceably.  You have the right to promote your religion so long as you do it peaceably.  You have the right to FREEDOM OF SPEECH but there are constitutional restrictions that must be adhered.  If we allow any segment of society to silence another segment simply because it does not agree with our philosophy we destroy a foundational principle upon which our Republic was established and has endured.  Open and honest debate is healthy so long as both sides are allowed to speak and both sides listen.  We may leave the debate unchanged in our opinion or conviction but no one is to be silenced simply because we disagree, think them deranged, and irredeemably wrong.

God help us to defend FREEDOM OF SPEECH for all Americans.  May God help us return to our founding principles and preserve our Republic.  God, bless you and God bless America is my prayer and desire!