Be Careful Of That Slippery Slope...

Do We really have Freedom of Speech in this Country?


Can the Government control how you FEEL about someone? Can they make you like someone? Can they make you hate someone? Is it any of their business whether you like or hate someone?


Can the Government tell you what you can SAY about someone? Can they make you say you like someone? Can they make you say you hate someone? Is it any of their business whether you say you like or hate someone?


Can the Government tell you what you can WRITE about someone? Can they make you write positive things about someone? Can they make you write negative things about someone? Is it any of their business whether you write positive or negative things about someone?


The answer should be NO to all of the above. Of course not. It's none of their damn business!


Those are all elements of Freedom of Speech. The minute the Government starts to infringe on any of those elements is the minute we start down that slippery slope. That will be the so called "camels nose under the tent" moment.


Where would the Government go from there? Tell us how we can feel, what we can say, what we can write about our own Religion? Tell us how we can feel, what we can say, what we can write about someone else's Religion?


How about Politics? The list could go on and on. We all know that once the Government takes a portion of our Freedom, we will never get it back.


I'm writing this because of the ridiculous situation reported today at a Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Florida. I posted the picture earlier. The Founder of Barnes & Noble believes that whoever did that should be charge with a hate crime. Oh really? For what?


As far as the media was concerned, there was nothing that was over-the-line when it concerned George W. Bush. Yes, they even called George W. Bush as monkey. Google it!


First we had the big blow-up about the New York Post monkey cartoon. Now we have Mr. Barnes & Noble saying the person who modified their window book display should be charged with a hate crime.


Are we gradually being prepared for a little crackdown on what we can say or write about Obama? Only time will tell.
Rees













Click to go to the Barnes & Noble article