Freedom of speech includes undesired and offensive – The Bozeman Daily Chronicle

The right to freedom of speech set forth in the First Amendment to the Constitution is being abridged by those who favor restricted speech, which allows one to say only that which they agree with.

We are experiencing a profound shift in our political culture, resulting in more and more persons with this view of the freedom of speech.

Since the Citizens United ruling by the Supreme Court, which restored free speech rights to millions of Americans by allowing non-profits and corporations to speak freely in the public arena, those who believe in restrictions now find it harder and harder to win policy arguments. Instead, they are beginning to operate under a new strategy, to threaten, harass and intimidate opponents to silence them, and to see that those who exercise their constitutional right to free speech will pay politically and personally.

Some examples are: The IRS targeting conservative non-profits; prosecutors abusing their powers to silence political opponents; activist groups using blackmail in the form of running campaigns against donors, corporations and businesses; and higher learning schools prohibiting conservative speakers.

This new strategy is not only generating a belief that those with a retrograde view have no rights, but is also turning those who exercise it from opponents into oppressors, who are more and more resorting to violence.

Undesired and offensive speech should be confronted with logic and better reasoning, without fear of retaliation or the need for societal sanction.

The liberty of freedom of speech can be better protected by more voices, not fewer.

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Freedom of speech includes undesired and offensive - The Bozeman Daily Chronicle