LAWRENCE, Kan. - Thanks to the required First Amendment class I'm taking, I've been thinking way too much about freedom of speech lately. We talk about the market place of ideas, in which citizens have a right to listen to, deny, accept or even contribute to public discussion. We talk about the importance of allowing beliefs to be expressed without government regulation. And we talk about how every view, no matter how unpopular or gross, is considered equal.
I really do believe that the First Amendment defines America, which is a good thing... sometimes.
A few weeks ago, I looked outside a classroom window, not expecting to see anything out of the ordinary. Of course, I didn't remember it was "post giant displays of aborted fetuses all over campus" week. Pro-lifers have done this all four years I've been at KU, and I'm always taken aback momentarily after seeing them. It's not because I haven't seen an aborted fetus before. Being from Wichita, I was exposed to such material regularly. But, I never understand what they're doing on a college campus. Don't they know our minds are probably already made up? And for those who are undecided, wouldn't a different approach of reaching them, like handing out condoms or not waving dead babies in their face be more effective? Those posters, after all, are not the most inviting thing.
I know it's their right to demonstrate as they will, but I just don't see the point in taking it as far as possible. Haven't they heard of subtlety? Or does our society now believe that whoever yells the loudest is right? It certainly seems so sometimes.
I've heard it said that whenever someone brings up Hitler in an argument, they automatically lose. When Glenn Beck compared Obama to Hitler though, thousands marched on Capitol Hill waiving signs reflecting that same comparison. They're using their first amendment right not to as a form of expression, but as a way of distracting attention away from the matter at hand... and they've obviously been successful at doing so.
When democrats marched on Capitol Hill protesting George Bush, the demonstration wasn't about what could be, but about what was actually happening. Fox News regarded this as whining, although now, when republicans carry signs depicting Obama as the Joker, they're called patriots of the First Amendment. True, only Fox went as far as to praise the protesters, but through their over the top demonstrations, the media as a whole ended up paying just as much attention or more to their manner of protest instead of any logical reason for protesting.
Is the media rewarding bad behavior? Yes. Gladly, though, I think more people are catching onto the act. No one considers Fox News news anymore, except the people who watch it. We just laugh and watch Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert put them in perspective. I see the same thing on campus, as no one bothers to even chastise pro- life protesters. Students just walk by, not acknowledging their existence. Although it is Glenn Beck's and every citizen's First Amendment right to be ridiculous, we have just as much of a right to not listen. And, as demonstrated by the links below, thank God for our First Amendment right to laugh at them.
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/252013/october-08-2009/bend-it-like-beck
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/21/the-funniest-protest-sign_n_292342.html
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-august-10-2009/healther-skelter
http://www.joewilsonisyourpreexistingcondition.com/
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/041b5acaf5/protect-insurance-companies-psa?rel=player
Yay! Welcome to Kansas Free Press, Kayla. We're honored that you've joined us. I'm glad you've jumped in, and I hope you keep writing! Welcome. (and great first post too!)
Great story. You know, I'm so tired of all that yelling on Fox. It has influenced so much of our society, I think. The teaparty people yelling out at the health care town hall meetings seemed to be of the same ilk. I wonder if the right wingers that yell really care if we listen - maybe they just don't want our words to be heard and they're only hope is to drown us out. Great post, Kayla.