Free Speech - with Respect

     Well, Gentle Readers...

Yesterday, I posted a bunch of updates on stories I've been mentioning to you.

Deadbeat sons.

Body cam revelations.

People wearing uniforms -- and not.

Dogfights!  (Charley and Ruby do get into it on occasion.)

Stuff like that.

But the biggest bunch of comments, by far, was on the Colorado baker whose decision not to make a wedding cake was upheld by the Supreme Court.  

I haven't been accused of being a paranoid bigot yet, for supporting this guy's decision -- but it's come close.

All memes from Pinterest, by the way

HERE'S THE STRUGGLE.

We live, thank God, in a free country. One where we are allowed to express our opinions and beliefs without fear of arrest or reprisal. We are allowed to worship as Christians, Jews and Muslims -- even Druids -- without the worry that someone will appear in mid-service to drag us off to the slammer, just for going to church.

That's happening now, in other countries. Today. People are dying because they refuse to renounce their faith. Christians have been especially targeted for this...not that American Christians have noticed that much. After all, we don't have to worry about it.

Freedom. The freedom to speak openly. Live openly.

That means that a well-respected actor can shoot his mouth off ABOUT THE PRESIDENT...in a very public place...and still not get arrested when he leaves for the night.

Yep, good for you, Robert DeNiro. Way to publicly act like a jerk. Go ahead and disagree with Trump -- plenty of people do. Couldn't you do it with more class?

(Actually, President Trump could have handled his response to this boorishness with a little more tact, too. Goes both ways.)

That's the blessing -- and curse -- of free speech. As long as it isn't threatening people, you can say what you want. But you're also held responsible for what you say -- esepecially when your actions back those words up.

Tough to handle. 

It means that people in our good 'ol U.S. of A. are allowed to make statements designed to incense and horrify -- and do it openly. I feel this way whenever a white supremacist group sets up shop on the Denver capitol steps for a sunny day of hatemongering.

Not everyone is going to agree with whatever you think -- no matter what it is, or how much you think they should.  (As the Brick sarcastically puts it to the naysayers: "It's only free speech when  I'm the one saying it.")

And you're going to have to live with that.





HERE'S THE KEY: 

Can you listen to what others say, disagree with them...and still show respect?

No insults. Temper tantrums. Curse words. Giving them the finger. Stomping out. Gutting them out on social media...particularly with statements you know aren't true. Filing complaints -- or lawsuits -- because you didn't get what YOU personally wanted. 

Romans 12: 17-18 puts it in a very interesting way:

17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

 Do I do it all the time? Nope -- wish I did. But I try. And we certainly tried to teach our girlies to live it. (Sadly, both the Brick and I got plenty of doses of prejudice, growing up -- but we were fortunate to both have parents who generally refused to act that way.)

AND A CAVEAT:

You can say it. But you'll also be held responsible for whatever you say. 

So please, make it respectful. That's half the battle. The other half: choosing your words carefully, and living by them.

Let's go back to the case of Jack Phillips, the Colorado baker. 

Would I have made the wedding cake for the same-sex couple? 

Yes. I have friends I care about who are gay. Cousins, too. Would I have made cakes for them? Sure.

       But I will also defend his right to be able to say, with respect, "no."