Re: Blasphemy and Free Speech
Reply #13 –
I'm going to break my own self-imposed ban about replying-- or even opening-- threads that have a religious character because this one has to do with "free speech" and Smiley brings up an important-- but often misunderstood-- point.
True, the First Amendment does grant-- or maybe the word is protect-- the right of "free speech". Actually, it protects the freedom of the press, but leave that for the moment or we'll never stop.
That "freedom" is not an absolute however. It doesn't give me the right to call other users here bad names without consequences, for example. That freedom really extends to the person who owns the press, not necessarily to the guy who writes an angry letter to the editor. So, if I have a bad falling out with Macallan (for example) and decide to say on open forum exactly what I think of him and his ancestors, I can expect that somebody is going to step in and do something about it, up to and including banning-- whether temporary or permanent depending on the situation. My right of free speech has very definite limits and if I trespass those limits I will suffer the results of my actions.
I'm not even really sure to what extent the American constitution pulls any weight here anyway because this server is not on American soil as far as I know, and trying to insist on "rights" while in somebody else's house never seems to come to a good end.
Blasphemy-- well, that's something else. There, you're trampling on someone's religious beliefs and it becomes important where you do it. Some parts of this world still have stoning to death as a punishment, so I would think twice before saying anything while in one of those parts of the world. Here in the States-- it seems that belief in God is fair game and you can say anything against anybody's god-- and probably be celebrated for your brave stance against superstitions. Different parts of the world have different ways of dealing with blasphemy, pay attention to where you are physically before shooting off your bazoo against your fellow man's beliefs.