Free Speech, Manners and Common Sense

Do I believe in free speech? Yes. Do I think the meaning of free speech is out of hand? What did our forefathers actually mean by free speech?
"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"
I take it to mean that we have the freedom to establish a religion....any religion and the government cannot make a law that prohibits that. People may have freedom of speech as to the government and the newspapers are permitted the freedom to disagree with government action. (Newspapers, tv and internet now) But they couldn't have forseen that. Peaceably assemble. Not cause riots. As in Klan and Nazi rallies. They couldn't have forseen that either. They also could not forsee that people would use the first amendment to say disrespectful things in songs.

We have become a nation of disrespect. Manners do not seem to exist. Just lately.....the Congressman who yelled out "you lie" during the President's speech. That was disrespectful of the office of the President of the United States. There are other ways he could have expressed his opinion. I thought that was just uncouth.

Kanye West, getting up to that microphone and disrespecting Taylor Swift by announcing that Beyonce had the best video ever.........And yet how respectful of Beyonce to give Taylor Swift the chance to finish her acceptance speech.

And Serena Williams mouthing off to the line judge or whatever they are called. And mouthing off in true disrespectful form. Expressing your opinion of a call made in a tennis game, hockey game, baseball game, football game, soccer game..........yes, we see it all the time. But as in any sport, go to far and there are penalties. Just because she lost the game because of the penalty she was given.....tough noogies. She deserved it.

And last but not least now is the big to do about Obama calling Kanye West a jack@**. First of all, President Obama is entitled to his opinion. We all are. He did not say that in a press conference or in a speech. He said it when he was at ease thinking he was among people who weren't recording him. The fact that someone was recording when it was a private conversation is disrespectful in and of itself. And he is right.........Kanye West is indeed a jack@**.

Respect has gone..........manners have gone........common sense is not so common.

Peace out