Okay, this is something that irritates me...

[conuly]

And a lot of people do this, so by making a post I'm just avoiding having to tell each of you individually. I'm also doing something else that annoys me, but we'll get to that.

If somebody does/says/posts something I don't like, I will often post about it in my journal. And then, sooner or later, somebody comes along who disagrees with me, so I get to read: "They have a right to say/do this! I really don't like it when other people try to take away their right to free speech/get upset that they use their right to free speech".

I'm only saying this once, or twice, or I don't know. Probably often.

I'm not taking away anybody's right to free speech.

I'm not deleting their LJ accounts, or disconnecting their computer, or threatening them.

I'm also not upset because they used their right to free speech. If I'm upset, it's about what they said, not the fact that they said it. I also dislike the stuff that Jack Chick spews out, but I notice that when I have mocked him in the past, nobody defended him because of "free speech". And when I complained about a homophobic discussion in my English class, nobody told me that all the other people in that class had the right to say what they did - they do have that right, and I wouldn't dream of taking it from them.

But, weird thing, free speech is something I have too. So if somebody has the right to say a prejudiced, or stupid, or offensive thing in their journal, I have the right to call them on it in my journal. I have the right, if they enable comments, to go over to their entry and tell them what I think. Or, if this is real life, I can tell them in person. And if they don't like it, they can argue with me.

Now, free speech has its limits. I can't libel/slander somebody (libel is in print, slander is spoken), so I have to restrict myself to the facts as I see them. I can't say "so-and-so eats kittens and babies" just because I'm mad. And I really can't make threatening comments in my journal (I'm going to kill so-and-so and eat his babies!!!) either. But other than that... yeah, freedom of speech.

So, please. If you don't like something I say, tell me. I like to know. But don't tell me I'm upset about somebody "using his right to free speech" or am "taking away his right to free speech" unless I actually say that. Because otherwise, chances are that you're wrong. I'm upset because a person revealed himself to be an ignorant asshole, or a bigot, or a bad parent, or an abusive pet-owner, not because they had the nerve to talk about it.

Comments

[spankmepink.livejournal.com]

I don't understand that argument. Freedom of Speech has never meant freedom from response. I'm not quite sure where people get that idea from.

[conuly]

Well, I like most of the people who've said that, certainly all the ones on my friends list, but for an honest response to *that* statement...

Probably because you can't really respond to it simply. If you say something that I don't like, and I respond, it's easier to say "freedom of speech" than to explain why I should've been cool with whatever it is you said. Or, if you think I'm not going to accept your argument about why the statement wasn't wrong, the "freedom of speech" clause makes it harder for me to argue - who doesn't like freedom of speech?

[mhari.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's a highly annoying argument. *kicks*

(Though it gets kind of amusing when they start yelling about the First Amendment and the person they're yelling at isn't even American.)

[carakarena.livejournal.com]

I agree with you 100%. "Free speech" is a term that gets used for a multitude of purposes, not many of which have anything to do with what it actually means.

[xxrosencrantzxx.livejournal.com]

Most people have no clue that the 'free speech! free speech!' they're always screaming about means that the government cannot censor them. Not that ordinary people or organizations cannot. Additionally, one of the catches of free speech is that while you can say whatever you please, you have to be prepared for the repercussions of what you say.

[rantinan.livejournal.com]

As a token non american, the "freedom of speach" arguement drives me up the wall further than most I suspect. In this country freedom of speach /= freedom from consiquence if you open your yap and spew hate, ignoracne or bile.

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

*nods agreeingly*

[spankmepink.livejournal.com]

I don't understand that argument. Freedom of Speech has never meant freedom from response. I'm not quite sure where people get that idea from.

[conuly]

Well, I like most of the people who've said that, certainly all the ones on my friends list, but for an honest response to *that* statement...

Probably because you can't really respond to it simply. If you say something that I don't like, and I respond, it's easier to say "freedom of speech" than to explain why I should've been cool with whatever it is you said. Or, if you think I'm not going to accept your argument about why the statement wasn't wrong, the "freedom of speech" clause makes it harder for me to argue - who doesn't like freedom of speech?

[mhari.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's a highly annoying argument. *kicks*

(Though it gets kind of amusing when they start yelling about the First Amendment and the person they're yelling at isn't even American.)

[carakarena.livejournal.com]

I agree with you 100%. "Free speech" is a term that gets used for a multitude of purposes, not many of which have anything to do with what it actually means.

[xxrosencrantzxx.livejournal.com]

Most people have no clue that the 'free speech! free speech!' they're always screaming about means that the government cannot censor them. Not that ordinary people or organizations cannot. Additionally, one of the catches of free speech is that while you can say whatever you please, you have to be prepared for the repercussions of what you say.

[rantinan.livejournal.com]

As a token non american, the "freedom of speach" arguement drives me up the wall further than most I suspect. In this country freedom of speach /= freedom from consiquence if you open your yap and spew hate, ignoracne or bile.

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

*nods agreeingly*