The First Amendment: A Review

I'm not sure why people have so much trouble understanding the free speech portion of the First Amendment. It's not long or complicated. In fact, the entire amendment is short and quite simply stated.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Do you see anything in there that protects anyone from the consequences of their speech? No, you don't. You are more than welcome to say any horrible, shocking, racist, sexist, otherwise bigoted crap you want to say, but you are in no way protected from my reaction to what you said. I am more than welcome to tell my boss exactly what I think of him- and he is equally welcome to fire me for doing so.

Or, as my mother used to say, you have the ability and the right to shove a potato chip up your nose, that doesn't make it a good idea. (I didn't realize until much later in life that my mother made up a lot of her "old sayings" on the spot.) Sure, John Stossel, you can announce to the world that you think people should be allowed to engage in institutionalized racism, and I have to right to call you a bigoted spleenweasel because of it.

At the time, racism was so pervasive that such an intrusive law may have been a good thing. But, as a libertarian, I say: Individuals should be surrounded by a sphere of privacy where government does not intrude. Part of the Civil Rights Act violates freedom of association. That's why I told Fox's Megyn Kelly, "It's time now to repeal that part of the law."

You can't say that in America?

Sure you can, asshat. Were you arrested for saying that? Were you thrown in prison? Were you executed? Clearly not. Clearly, you still have a platform from which to spew your stupidity. So, can you say that in America? Yes. Is it a good idea? Probably not. Those are two entirely separate issues, however.

The First Amendment allows you to say what you wish, but you're on your own when it comes to deciding whether or not you should.