Let me tell you a story.
I stand by this statement. In fact, in many ways I stand behind freedom of speech more than some other rights afforded us as Americans.
When I was in college (this is the story part, my friends, in case you got lost in a sentence or two), my roommate’s girlfriend, was a gifted cartoonist. She made one of the most offensive cartoons I’d ever seen. If you knew me and my job, I should have been outraged. Furious.
But the school newspaper, with its young, hip (and very hot) editor, ran with it. It made massive controversy. Even I disagreed with the cartoon’s content.
The phone calls started to my room and hers. Nasty phone calls. Mean ones. I understood their anger. I agreed with them on many levels. But one phone caller (remember this was the late 80s, when we didn’t have caller ID), apparently someone who knew my major, asked, “how can you not say anything, Roo?”
“Freedom of speech and the press, dude."
No one was breaking any laws. As much as I disagreed with the message, she had every right to write it; they had every right to publish.
Just like this whole “Super PAC” bit. As much as I hate corporations, they have the right to express themselves and, yes, that means, they can give money. I don’t agree with them having any power, but in the eyes of the law AND this American, they can still do it.
I just have to remember not to listen.
Turning to even more current events, I agree with the President on this count. This is a stupid, vapid, arrogant video that says little and means nothing, other than to provoke. It’s a like a really bad Jon Waters movie-only those movies have a point (which is saying VOLUMES). Porn has more going on, as it were.
But it has a right to exist. Even if we don’t agree with it.
However, that does not mean other groups can go and kill people because it exists.
There, had my coffee this morning and felt like pointing that out.
Peace,
Roo
President Obama to United Nations: ‘We Do Not Ban Blasphemy’
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