Free Speech is a Privilege???

An opinion I found recently posted by what appears to be a High School student in California. I do not blame the student but the Educational system that produces this type of education. I tried to respond but I kept getting an error but thought it was important and I share it with you now.


Original Article
Wednesday, October 13, 2010 By Andrew Huber

Albert Snyder sued Fred Phelps for picketing Matthew Snyder’s, Albert’s son’s funeral. Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder served and died in Iraq. Upon his funeral Phelps and members from his church flew 1,000 miles with signs saying “Thank God for 9/11.” to protest at the soldier’s funeral. Phelps and his followers think that God is killing soldiers in the war on terror because of America’s tolerance of gays.

The Snyders have a right to assemble and freedom of religion. The Phelpses have the right of free speech, both of which are protected by the Constitution.

In October of 2007 a federal jury awarded Snyder $10.9 million, finding Phelps and church members liable for intentionally inflicting emotional distress. But almost two years later the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the verdict. They cited free-speech protections for the protesters.

Choosing to protest a dead soldier’s funeral is abusing the right to free speech. The rights we have as citizens of the United States of America aren’t really rights at all, they are privileges.


Comment from NewAmericaNow not allowed to be posted by the site

If you would like to walk through my property and I allow it, that is a privilege because at anytime of my choosing I can rescind that privilege. If you wish to walk on your property that is your right not privilege. The freedoms we have are not bestowed by government or man they are bestowed by God and thus are never privileges and cannot be rescinded .

There is of course a responsibility that comes with all freedoms. We may be able to yell fire when none exists, however, if someone should be injured, you will be held accountable for your actions, same with bearing arms. Furthermore, you have rights until your rights infringe on the rights of others.

The family of this soldier have rights as well. The soldier's family has the right of privacy and the right to pray and grieve in peace, which is also a first Ammendment right of expression, which in this case has been violated. It is one thing to protest government actions but quite another to target a grieving family. I see no need for further interpretaion or the need for more legislation. The laws currently on the books are more than adequate to resolve this issue. However, our government will never lose the opportunity to pass more laws or make further interpretations that limit your freedom as a citizen and give themselves more power over us.

Mr. Huber obviously wants to live in a facist government that tells him what to think, what to do and what to eat, he may even suggest that your mother should also have to be licensed to cook for your family in case she does not follow the latest food safety laws because they are unqualified to decide for themselves on all these issues and is stating that his government who knows better than he, can remove his freedoms when they(the Gov) think he has had enough(freedom).

Our founding fathers would be surprised at what America has become, a land of the un-informed and complacent. I changed the comment a little because I am sure you are a very intelligent young man, however, the problem is, you are being taught in a government run school with government run curriculum and your teachers have also been indoctrinated into thinking that freedom is bad and government solves problems. "Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them"-Ronald Reagan.

We currently have more people in prison than Communist China and China has 25% of the worlds population. We currently wage war on people accross the globe not because we are spreading freedom but because they have much to gain by world domination. The FBI raids homes of peacful opponents to the war because they do not like the message. In order to control the people there are currently more than 8,000 victimless laws on the books that will send armed men to your home if any are violated. If I forget to buckle my seat belt, an armed representative of the government will force me to comply and if I question his authority I may be pulled from the privacy of my vehicle, illegally searched, beaten, shot or tased, all to prove who has the authority at that very moment.

A woman in Michican who cared for her neighbors child for free, mind you, was sent a letter, after a jealous neigbor reported her, from child welfare of the state because the law in her state indicates that if you care for a child that is not blood related for >28 days you are required to be registered and licensed as a daycare provider or face a fine and or inprisonment for non compliance.

All this, in a so called free country where I have rights and not privleges. Can you imagine our situation if these rights were privleges? I am very passionate about this issue and it pains me to think that young people would believe that our rights are privleges. I hope that you consider the wisdom of my years and education and look into this subject further.

Never, ever, give your rights away because they will be more than happy to take them from you.