Is The First Amendment Being Weaponized Against Us, Yes When It’s Used Irresponsibly
Our right to freedom of speech can result in violence when abused
This is my preamble
The United States Constitution is a wonderful document. It guarantees every American citizen certain unquestionable rights as defined in its amendments.
With these amendments comes great responsibility on the part of our country’s citizens. This goes not only for their interpretation but their use.
The amendment I’d like to address today is the one referenced more often than any other. This is Amendment 1. For those that aren’t familiar with it, I’ve provided it below.
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.
The idea that no law shall prohibit the exercising of an individual’s right to freedom of speech is one of the cornerstone principles of our nation. One that our forefathers fought and died for, and one that every citizen cherishes.
The fact that we can say anything, voice our opinion openly, and not be imprisoned for it is a wonderful thing. This is a right that many nations around the world don’t guarantee.
What’s the problem with this you might ask
The issue lies in that with this tremendous right to freedom of speech there comes an assumed responsibility on the part of the speaker. I fear that many of my fellow citizens don’t realize this when they open their mouths to speak.
This responsibility that I speak of comes in the form of recognizing that words have power and that just because you have the right to say something, doesn’t mean that you should. To put it another way, the words you speak can have consequences that can be both devastating and long-lasting.
There has been no greater assault on the idea of our right to freedom of speech than was displayed by the January 6, 2020 insurrection.
Statements by then President Donald Trump and his disciples incited a group of insurrectionists resulting in the storming of the United States Capitol. Many of those involved believed that they were acting on “their president’s” orders. These are their words not mine and Trump did nothing to defuse the situation.
The insurrection was further exacerbated by former President Trump’s claim that the election had been stolen from him. His claims of rampant election fraud during the days and months following the election greatly contributed to this national disgrace. Trump continues to repeat his bogus claim even though it’s been proven to be categorically false.
Trump’s responsibility and the responsibility of those that supported him was to be truthful and accept a peaceful transition of power. Unfortunately, he did the opposite. He chose to challenge the results in every state that he lost. This was his right of course, but once the recounts were completed and the results certified by the state, that should have been the end of it. But as you know it wasn’t.
He continues to sow the seeds of division by what he says and does even a year on. It seems as though he will become the textbook example of the abuse of a right we should be honored to have.
Final thoughts
I’ll conclude by saying that the idea behind this article is not to indict Trump, but to illustrate the power of our words and the consequences of how our words are interpreted. Trump just happens to have offered up a vivid illustration of what can happen with only the spoken word.
As a nation and as individuals we need to take responsibility for what we say. Additionally, we need to take ownership of the consequences.
If we thought before we spoke and looked more carefully at the wider potential for damage that could occur because of our words perhaps, we would choose them more carefully. And as a result, avoided the violent confrontation that cost people their lives.
Sadly, the problems of our nation go much deeper than simply speech. Look no further than what we consider “the media” in this country.
We have suffered damage on so many fronts that I likely won’t be alive to see all of the fallout. But I’m still hopeful that wisdom will somehow find its way into Washington, D.C. so that we can avoid becoming the next fallen empire.
Remember, Rome didn’t last forever.
Until next time.
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