Free Speech...What a Joke

Freedom of speech in the First Amendment to the US Constitution is a constantly debated item . While we were founded on the premise of freedom of speech, there are lines that can be crossed. When does freedom of speech become hate speech and truly offensive? Does the First Amendment allow for the protection of free speech protect the content of the speech or just the right to say it?

The concept of “freedom of speech” is stated but not defined the in Constitution:

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 the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Does this mean that you can say whatever you want and get away with it? No, you cannot. Military personnel can be punished for saying negative things about the Commander-in-Chief under the UCMJ. There are restrictions. Even if Commander-in-Chief is doing a horrible job and wasting taxpayer dollars and soldiers lives, we, as soldiers, cannot say one negative thing. We can praise him until the sun comes up the next day, but negativity is punishable. Free speech is just a concept rather than actual policy. The US military’s policy is just one example of restricted free speech. Another example of restricted speech is saying “fire” in a theater, or “bomb” on an airplane.

How far does free speech get pushed? A preacher came to the UNCW campus last Monday spreading his holy word and the Bible. A form had to be filled out for him to do so, and a free speech clause allows him to do that. The catch, he can say whatever he wants to under the premise that it is his preaching the word, twisting concepts in the Bible to advocate his hate speech. The free speech idea is pushed all the way to the limit here. He did not stop there.

Within his preaching, the preacher is using his “free speech” rights to advocate what was widely defined by the gathering crowds, as hate speech. Saying women should be subservient to men and belong in the kitchen and that gays are going to die of HIV and go to hell, are just a few examples of his scathing words. While they are viewed as his religious views, he has crossed a dangerous line into hate speech. Yet, because the paper he filled out prior to his arrival stated that he was merely preaching and the content was not listed, he was allowed to preach.

Freedom of speech is exactly what it is. You are exercising your right to say what you want. The right is backed by the Constitution. Institutions pick and choose who can practice their free speech;after all, UNCW is a public university and federal and state funds are pumped into the college. But, had the KKK or Islamic Jihad tried to voice their “free speech” rights on a public campus, I would wager my entire enlistment bonus on their immediate rejection. Not only does UNCW cater to public opinion, but also, the college is catering to a social majority. This is the Bible belt, the idea goes without saying why they would not refute a preacher from spreading his/her good word. Since the preacher was using the pretense of religion as a guise for his hate speech, it was acceptable. Had he been part of an actual hate group, then under no circumstance would he have been allowed to speak at the campus unless it was probably closed forum of sorts. His exercising his right to free speech should be upheld, but what is defined as hate speech by those in attendance did not facilitate the removal of the preacher. Simply put by a staff member from the Dean of Students Office, “If you don’t want to hear what he has to say, then go around him and ignore him.” That’s really difficult to do considering he’s preaching where a majority of traffic on the campus occurs.

The downside to all of this is that often individuals push their free speech rights over the line in order to advocate hate under the guise of benign ideas, like religion. The schools or other institutions where these people exercise their rights are often duped into believing they are allowing a good thing to happen. Considering the social geography of the area, the Bible belt, they think they are doing the area a service.

A university is an open forum to discuss ideas, not preach hate.