Being offended by Free Speech makes America greater because we can talk back without fear or retaliation.
There are things called slander and satire and deceit and hate mongering that we risk in Free Speech. But we talk it through, maybe even to the Supreme Court, and it makes America greater.
Suppressing the freedom of speech strangles us. By all means, let’s fight with words, but raise a fist or a club or a gun or authority wielded to “shut it down” or retaliation or oppression, that makes America no different from what the WORST of the rest of the world does.
“Beacon of freedom to the world” is NOT hiding our dirty laundry but flapping it in the wind for the world to catch a whiff and working through it and coming out stronger.
Not more uniformity in belief, not bowing to whatever strong type would like to dictate what we say or how we say it.
No secrets, that is the heart of free speech. Got an agenda? Sing it out. Selling your words to the highest bidder? Great, we are a capitalist society, but put it out there. Free Speech is double edged, triple edged, can bring the love or the hate in equal measure.
We have to be greater. Not better. Not superior. But greater. We don’t hide speech but say what we want and have the guts to take responsibility for what we put out there. And if we don’t have the guts to take responsibility for it, maybe we discover that we have the courage that sometimes the most powerful free speech is when we shut our mouths.
That’s what the people who made the ultimate sacrifice in uniform for this nation were protecting, America and the possibility for it to be ever greater. Remember that as we remember this Memorial Day. Please.
Peace,
Pastor Peter
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