The Freedom To Speak

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

He stands next to the water tower casting perpetual torture to the right and left. To sinners that inhabit this campus. To the heathens and temptresses that scurry about. Accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your one and only savior or be cast into eternity for all damnation.

Then around him stand the shocked onlookers, mouths open in disbelief. A few of the braver students speak up.

“Stop speaking hate,” one yells.

“God is love, you’re a monster,” says another.

They accuse him of bigotry and sexism. They call him a hate monger and a false Christian.

I walk by, head down, hat pulled low. Something catches my attention and my head perks up. I listen in for a second and catch the faint sound of the most annoying thing in the world, the unscheduled public debate. I hear the words "hate", "love", "God", "damnation" and "evil" shouted from different directions. I shake my head and return my gaze to the ground.

The fact is I don’t know which side is right. Maybe God does love all his creatures equally. Maybe he wants to save the righteous and punish the wicked. Maybe neither side is right. The only thing I know is that both sides deserve the right to speak, no matter what outlandish, ludicrous speech they emit.

Even if what they say is hate speech. I don't think hate speech can have any effect on our campus. Depending on the point of view, perhaps what the preacher was saying was hate speech. I just don't believe that hate speech has any power in this environment. Hate speech is only effective in impoverished areas where knowledge is controlled. That’s why the KKK is effective in the deep south, Islamic fundamentalism spreads rapidly in poor Arab countries, and Hitler was able to convince an entire nation and eradicate an entire religion.

This is hardly the environment that we face here on campus. The point of a University is to hear different theories on all topics. In this environment, the views of all should be listened to openly.

Who looks crazier, the man preaching about a lake of fire or the mob that waits on with a look of blood lust stained on their faces? The phrase “God is love” has a less than enlightened ring to it when it is followed with “you bastard.” I look into the crowd and see the angriest looks on people's faces. If they walked twenty feet to the right the “hate speech” would be merely a muffle.

In reality, having the ability to speak freely is a mixed blessing, but it is essential to our society. I don’t agree with the backwards ranting of the clock-tower preacher. He speaks of a creator that needs to be feared rather than worshiped. But as an American he has the right to share his views no matter how slanted they are. Of course he contradicts his own message by judging us. It is our right, as the harlots, blasphemers and sinners, as he calls us, to disagree with his speech. And though the majority disagrees with what he says, he has the right to say whatever he pleases.