My father—may he rest in peace—was an avid proponent of free
speech. His “version” of this particular
First Amendment provision, which he argued ad
nauseum was his right to hold, was that he had the unfettered right to
express himself. Any thought or opinion
he possessed, no matter how it offended the sensibilities of those around him,
was broadcasted unedited to those around him. It was his habit to be deliberately
provocative, knowing full well that his was not the popular opinion in the room. In fact, it was not uncommon for him to
declare his opinions in a way that put down those who did not agree with him as
ignorant, misinformed, or foolishly taken in by propaganda. He did not respect an opposing opinion; nor
could he let one stand. While free speech was his to exercise, he
acted as if it were his and his alone.
Free speech has faced many challenges throughout history. It remains one of the cornerstones of
American democracy despite the Sedition Act, the McCarthy Era, and Tipper Gore. Although the Supreme Court normally upholds
the First Amendment as absolute, there are grey areas where privacy, decency,
and security are involved. Having a
right does not mean that it must be exercised, any more than a pumped up
athlete is required to flex his muscles.
Our right to bear arms does not mandate a gun in every home. Money in the bank is not a license to
spend. So while free speech is a
Constitutionally-protected right to express oneself, social protocol suggests
that standards of human decency be maintained.
Facebook represents a new platform by which to air our likes
and dislikes, beliefs and disbeliefs. It
is a “social networking tool,” which, to me, means an opportunity to connect to
like-minded people. Society is crisscrossed
with networks of different dimensions, many of us intersecting with more than
one. By social contract, we use this tool
to enhance and expand relationships that are meaningful to us, abiding by
policies that prohibit targeting, hate speech, bullying, and other forms of
abuse.
It is interesting to me that the unit of relationship chosen
by Facebook is “friend,” rather than the less intimate “contact” or “acquaintance.” I have been “friended” by people I know,
people I used to know, people I hardly know, and even people I have never
met. It can be interesting to discover
shared interests and mutual friends among people from your distant past. There can also be alarming discoveries of
incompatible and divergent values. An unpleasant comment or revelation from
someone on your newsfeed feels as personal as a slap in the face. Someone who repeatedly uses Facebook to
express pointed or unwelcome opinions is a nuisance. Fortunately, there is a cure for that; it’s
called “unfriend.”
Freedom of speech is a double-edged sword. While no one can argue your right to form or
express your opinion, the way in which you wield it is open to judgment--mine. Rubbing my nose in your beliefs makes it my
business. I have the right to choose
what enters my life, as well as to lock out those forces or influences I find
distasteful. If or when I unfriend you, it
is an exercise of my inalienable rights.
Accept it as a demonstration of the liberties for which you wave your own
flag.
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