Freedom of Speech

We are such a free nation of thinkers, aren't we?  I display it here on my blog.  It's displayed on the television, radio, Facebook, Twitter, to give a few examples.  I myself take part in all of those, so I, along with millions and millions of other Americans get to utilize freedom of speech without many repercussions.  I am thankful to have these freedoms and I know full well that there are many military personnel who protect those rights for me, for all of us, daily.  It's a full circle and everything is so intrinsically connected. 


Here are my thoughts on the recent tragedy in Tuscon, AZ, with the shootings of all of those innocent people.  Certainly, it almost goes without saying, that the individual who shot those folks is fully to blame.  He brought the gun, it seems he had it planned out and had in some sense been following Representative Gabrielle Giffords and obviously, he alone shot her and all the others, including the young nine year old girl, Christina Taylor Green.  He will be tried and likely found guilty of what is obviously one of the most senseless crimes imaginable in a country such as ours, killing others irrationally, without remorse.  Clearly, he is an individual who is sick, off balance, and not centered in reality.  


Many in the media have raised the issue and tried to make some correlation between his rantings and actions and Sarah Palin, or others like her.  While there can't and should be a direct connection between the two, it certainly raises a good point of conversation.  Just because we CAN say something doesn't mean we SHOULD say something.  In other words, yes, we have freedom of speech and we can express ourselves fully without legal backlash in this country, but should we as a country go to that line and have our comments, thoughts, and opinions be edgy, racy, out there, pushed to the limit every time?  In this political climate and given all that this country is so divided over, shouldn't ALL politicians, Democrat, Republican, Independent, shouldn't WE all, conduct ourselves with a modicum of respect?  Even if you are pitted against someone, face to face who you very strongly disagree with?  If our country does not get itself together, if the media doesn't stop inciting verbal violence in an onslaught of constant instigation for every horrible thing, every tiny bad thought said by that guy and this guy and those guys, the path we are on will be a difficult one to retreat. 


The guy who just created havoc on many many lives is someone who by all accounts thus far has needed help for a long time-an off center violent individual.  When someone like that hears all the rhetoric from folks who throw around words and phrases like "don't retreat! reload!" or put cross hairs on their political website over certain areas of the map of the United States, maybe that sends him off the edge.  Did that happen in this case?  Maybe no.  Maybe so.  We likely will never know but I don't think it's super far fetched to generalize that the mood of this country, so ultra divided and so ultra hyped up against those that don't agree with us politically, is not helped by those type of remarks and actions.  We are not nice to one another when it comes to politics.  If we are in a conversation with someone who does not agree with us politically, things get tense quickly and whether it be on Facebook, email, or in person, it gets ugly quickly.  Why?  How can we get anywhere when we are busy thinking the other is stupid or ignorant?  How can we open our minds and learn from one another if it's not done with consideration, kindness, and some level of caring when discussing really tough things?  It's spirals downward so very quickly and its sad.  We have to move away from this and find better ways to communicate as a country, don't you think? 


This recent event from Saturday is a real eye opener.  If we cannot learn from this, learn that maybe, just maybe, we can still be productive and forward thinking without all this hurtful slinging of negative rhetoric.  As a country, I know that we are smarter than all of that.  We have to be smarter than that don't we?  We are blessed and privileged enough to live in this great country and I hope and pray we can all start behaving more nicely.  Let's give the kids of today a better example and role model.  It starts with us.  One person at a time.  We can make a difference, can't we?


I send all my love and prayers to the parents of Christina Green.  They have a very difficult road ahead of them, I know that very well.