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March 27, 2008
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
Free Speech Has a Price, by Rubel Shelly
The brilliant founders of the American republic set in place the
explicit provision for freedom of speech with the First Amendment to
the United States Constitution. Against the restrictive laws of
England, they were determined to allow free and unfettered public
discourse about government, public policy, and the officials in charge
of the general welfare.
From that beginning point, we have evolved a shallow concept of free
speech that is invoked for the most worthless of causes. Pornography,
religious hucksterism, racist literature, homophobic web sites -- all
appeal to their freedom of speech to malign, exploit, and dehumanize
people made in God's image.
Yet the stark and honest truth is that our freedom of speech has been
purchased at a very high price. There was not only the blood of early
patriots but that of their heirs as well. That is a high price to pay!
Those of us still alive to enjoy a gift purchased at so great a cost
have payments to make yet.
Civility is not too much to ask of politicians and their supporters
during the current presidential campaign. Make your case. Give the
reasons why your party or proposal is better. But mud-slinging and
"going negative" are the accepted means of campaigning. Better not to
win the office than to gain it that way.
Good sportsmanship used to be part of the justification our educational
institutions gave for the huge outlay of money necessary to put teams
on fields and courts. Sports Illustrated recently commented that the
current college basketball season has been "the ugliest season in
years" for rude, boorish, and nasty fan behavior. The article cited an
incident where a woman attending her grandson's game was reduced to
tears when students turned from taunting the player on the floor to
chanting "whores" at his family members.
The price of free speech is voluntary restraint and dignity.
Reason demands better of us. But the restraint of reason seems to
vanish pretty quickly after a few beers. In baseball parks, more and
more teams are creating sections where alcohol is not served. Those
sections will never be very large, however, because of the revenue
generated from booze. Obscenities seem to come more easily and
frequently from throats lubricated by it.
Respect for basic human dignity is sacrificed when the honorable title
"free speech" is pronounced over churlish people who are using their
mouths for sexual harassment, racist slurs, or other abusive language.
So long as others of us fail to use our free speech to challenge
theirs, we are making the problem worse. Thus my thanks to a coach who
takes the floor to say he will pull the team and forfeit a game if the
student section or other fans don't stop their over-the-line rowdiness.
Hurray for the parent who won't put up with it from her own kid. And
three cheers for you at the self-control you model.
The price of free speech is voluntary restraint and dignity. It is a
critical element in treating others the way you want to be treated.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only
what is helpful for building others up according to their needs,
that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29 TNIV).
---------
(c) 2008 Used by permission. From Rubel Shelly's "FAX of Life"
printed each Tuesday. See Faith Matters for previous issues of
the "FAX of Life."
RELATED LINKS:
* Words, Words, Words!
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200708/20070831_wordstayingpower.html
* Wildfires!
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200604/20060406_wildfires.html
* Speech
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200207/20020713_speech.html
* RubelShelly.com
http://www.rubelshelly.com/
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200803/20080327_freespeech.html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
CAPTIVATING: UNVEILING THE MYSTERY OF A WOMAN'S SOUL, by John & Stasi Eldredge
Many Christian women are tired, struggling under the weight of the
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book can do for women.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?251
Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
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