I made the usual mistake of deciding today was watch a documentary day. The one I picked was about a guy who decided to go speak on a university campus about why we need to reinforce traditional (read pro straight marriage) values.
Clearly, there was a slant. But after thirty minutes of smash cuts between the earnest kids who think you ‘win’ by screaming profanity over someone else, the Room 101 scene from 1984, and various celebrities apologizing for stupid shit they’ve said, I really couldn’t stand to listen anymore.
Those kids truly thought they were being champions of free speech. They weren’t. If they truly embraced the concept, they’d be protecting the right of anyone to be heard, no matter how objectionable they found it. You want to protest it? Fantastic.. how about doing so in a constructive way? Set up outside the venue and assemble peacefully to talk about why you feel you’re living your best truth and being your best self with people who genuinely want to have a conversation.
When you scream to drown someone out, you rob them of their voice.
“I wholly disapprove of what you say—and will defend to the death your right to say it.”
I will try very hard to apply the Voltairean principle, as well as exercise my Carlinean right.
“The FCC, the Federal Communications Commission, decided all by itself that radio and television were the only two parts of American life not protected by the free speech provisions of the first amendment to the Constitution. I’d like to repeat that, because it sounds… vaguely important! The FCC—an appointed body, not elected, answerable only to the president—decided on its own that radio and television were the only two parts of American life not protected by the first amendment to the Constitution. Why did they decide that? Because they got a letter from a minister in Mississippi! A Reverend Donald Wildman in Mississippi heard something on the radio that he didn’t like. Well, Reverend, did anyone ever tell you there are two KNOBS on the radio? Two. Knobs. On the radio. Of course, I’m sure the reverend isn’t that comfortable with anything that has two knobs on it… But hey, reverend, there are two knobs on the radio! One of them turns the radio OFF, and the other one [slaps his head] CHANGES THE STATION! Imagine that, reverend, you can actually change the station! It’s called freedom of choice, and it’s one of the principles this country was founded upon. Look it up in the library, reverend, if you have any of them left when you’ve finished burning all the books.”
Curiouser and Curiouser 