FREE SPEECH OR HATE SPEECH by T. Edwin Perry
“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.” – First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America
Racism and prejudice abound in the United States. A few years ago, I would have argued to the opposite point, giving examples of how far we’ve come since the days of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Civil Rights Protests of the 1960’s. In truth, we have come a long way from the days of Dr. King, the KKK burning crosses and lynching black voters who had the courage to stand for their rights and pursue EQUALITY in America. But “Equality” has taken on a new meaning for some, and it is unfortunate that, as with the radical few who would put on white sheets and commit crimes of hatred and prejudice, thus painting a picture of bigotry and hatred by all whites against blacks, that, in this day and age, there are those who now spew the same kind of vile bigotry from the side of minorities. One such piece of human refuse is a guy by the name of “King Samir Shabazz” of the New Black Panther Party.
Allow me to be clear about something: This guy is a NUT! Crazy as a loon. He’s clearly off his meds and needs some serious therapy. He no more speaks for the majority of Black Americans than Osama Bin Laden speaks for the Muslim Community.
Allow me to be clear about something else: He DOES speak for a certain radical element of the Black Community, particularly those who have been raised to believe that they are victims, and nothing but victims. He speaks for those who believe the type of rhetoric spoken by the likes of Jeremiah Wright, or Malcolm X, or Louis Farrakhan, who rant about “Social Justice” and “Reparations” instead of the Principles of Personal Responsibility or Greater Liberties for All.
And one last thing to be clear about: He BELIEVES what he’s saying, and he’s not afraid to say it…CLEARLY! And, unlike others in his organization who more carefully watch what they say publicly, we know EXACTLY where he stands. He’s a racist, bigoted, hateful individual calling for a violent overthrow of the United States in the name of “Racial” Justice.
Now, I am a proponent of Free Speech. It is guaranteed to us by the First Amendment of the Constitution that the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT cannot create ANY LAW which abridges the individual’s right of FREE SPEECH, no matter how inflammatory or hateful that speech may be. The FEDERAL Government has no authority to interfere in THAT arena. The FEDERAL Government also has no authority to stop the gatherings to which he speaks, so long as they remain PEACEFULLY ASSEMBLED. He starts leading a march of armed gunmen through the city? This would no longer qualify as being Peacefully Assembled. But his right to SAY what he believes cannot be abridged, no matter how abhorrent or disgusting any of us may find his rhetoric to be. We can watch him. The police can monitor his activities. But until he ACTS on what he says, his right to SAY what he believes is protected.
This same protection is conveyed to the proponents of La Raza, a Hispanic group promoting Civil Rights for “Hispanic” Racial Equality and civil rights. However, some of their members call for violence, for reparations, for REVOLUTION, just like the New Black Panther Party. They have the right (AS AMERICAN CITIZENS, that is) to convey their beliefs. So long as they are Citizens of this country, that RIGHT cannot be abridged. It is protected in the Constitution of this Nation, and unless they ACT in a manner that breaks the law, that right to speak is protected, and SHOULD BE!
But let’s call it what it is: Racism. Yes, perhaps their anger and rhetoric is fueled by a perception of racism against THEM. Perhaps, for SOME of them, that perception is justified; however, for many, and I would venture to say MOST, they have never actually felt the sting of the whip, the fear of a lynching, or the oppression of their children in ways experienced in the 1960’s & 1970’s. Thirty years ago, maybe that argument wouldn’t ring true, but in TODAY’S America, it does. We’ve moved forward, but these backward-thinking reparation Racists are stuck in the PAST, a place that Dr. King fought so hard to move us away from.
The best way to STOP the verbal diarrhea of people like Samir Shabazz is to ignore them. Distance yourself from them. Stop listening to them. Stop supporting them. If they don’t speak for you, speak out against them. Oppose them. Don’t make excuses for them: CORRECT them. The squeaky wheel will always get the grease, the loud minority will always get the attention over the silent majority, and people like Samir Shabazz can fan the remaining embers of Racism, on all sides, into a roaring fire.
The Government doesn’t need to get involved: the COMMUNITY does!
Leave a Reply