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Freedom of speech is one of the most misunderstood Constitutional rights Americans possess. The First Amendment was initially put into place because the ability to speak freely, to protest, and to creatively think and critically argue were considered unalienable God-given rights endowed by human beings by their Creator. Everyone should be able to voice their opinions.

Unfortunately many Americans do not realize that with the exercise of free response comes responsibility. Words do hurt and harm others, sometimes more than physical injury because false words and name-calling once out there can never, ever be recaptured. Gossip, slander, innuendo, false accusation, down right lies, and misinformation by whatever the medium literally becomes the message. Even when others know a lie when they hear it, once the lie has been committed to video, transcript, print or doctored photograph there is nothing the injured party can do to take back the mental image as once portrayed. Remember the old expression "first impressions do count?" Like the poor guy who shows up at a job interview with mustard on his tie, once people receive a bad impression because others exercised THEIR freedom of speech, there is little you can do to change others' opinions. "A person convinced against their will is of the same opinion still."

Freedom of speech is a bit of a misnomer when you realize that there are many kinds of speech which are not legal. Slander, libel and hate speech are three such examples. Slander would be the malicious and intentional lie against another which causes them harm. Libel is similar and might affect one's source of income or business integrity or reputation. Filing of false documents and false police reports are totally illegal and so also would be tampering with evidence or witnesses by the giving of false information.

Hate speech which appears almost commonplace these days on the internet is actually illegal if it infact incites others to violence or the harm of others. No one is exempt here, even high school students have been prosecuted for "bullying" other students on their Myspace or Facebook pages. If your speech causes someone else to hurt another, you could be liable for damages. It goes without saying that this includes pornography, copyright infringement, alteration of photographs, use of materials without author consent and parodies to the point of actual actual pain or damages to others.

The Bible tells us that our speech should always be "with grace,

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