Paris is Free, But Speech Isn't
We live in strange times. Apparently, our system values all speech (no matter how racist, frivolous, or incorrect), except when that speech is about who governs us and how they govern. Our political leaders believe that speech about them needs to be regulated. This is 180-degrees wrong.
Free speech matters most when it is about things that matter. Though legislative intent is a tricky business, I’d bet the intent of the First Amendment has more to do with unregulated speech about government than it does with unregulated speech about Paris Hilton. (Though I predict she will win the Nobel Peace Prize in the next 5 years for her work on “health issues, criminal rehabilitation, and, like, other stuff”).
Hence, I think the Supreme Court got it right when it struck down some censorship on political speech. But, I wish it would have gone further and struck down the whole act. Letting governmental leaders regulate speech simply results in less speech about those leaders. It allows the leaders to better control the dialogue. Dialogue is devalued and incumbency is bullion.
UPDATE: Don Surber weighs in.
Free speech matters most when it is about things that matter. Though legislative intent is a tricky business, I’d bet the intent of the First Amendment has more to do with unregulated speech about government than it does with unregulated speech about Paris Hilton. (Though I predict she will win the Nobel Peace Prize in the next 5 years for her work on “health issues, criminal rehabilitation, and, like, other stuff”).
Hence, I think the Supreme Court got it right when it struck down some censorship on political speech. But, I wish it would have gone further and struck down the whole act. Letting governmental leaders regulate speech simply results in less speech about those leaders. It allows the leaders to better control the dialogue. Dialogue is devalued and incumbency is bullion.
UPDATE: Don Surber weighs in.
posted by steve u. at 6/28/2007
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3 Comments:
You nail it precisely.
Well said.
I'm still shocked that the provision banning political speech that was so clearly in violation of the intent and wording of the first amendment ever made it into law in the first place.
Neil a. Maxwell one observed that those who appear to be the most vociferous about their freedom of speach rights seldom actually anything to say when they exercise that freedom. I concluded years ago that most people did not actually want to participate in their governance, they just did not like being excluded. Voin Campbell.
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