by Jacquelyn Jackson

Created on: April 17, 2007   Last Updated: April 30, 2007

There is nothing in this country that is free. Freedom is not even free. There are people who risk their lives and fight everyday to make sure we enjoy our freedom. It's paid for by the efforts of other people. The problem that I have with freedom of speech is that people want to exercise their right to freedom of speech to say whatever they want whenever they want regardless of how it affects the people around them. Obviously, those individuals are right because there is nothing in that statement that puts stipulations on what not to say and when not to say it. I am completely all for freedom of speech if it's is beneficial for the good, but to use freedom of speech to degrade, discriminate, or be hurtful.

People need to understand that yes, they have the right to freedom of speech and they can pretty much say whatever they want to say. But take in mind that there is a price to pay for everything and there are boundaries; it might not be right out and visible for you to see but it's there. In all actuality you can exercise you right to freedom of speech and it might just cost you, your very life. There are consequences for everything. Don't think for a second that using the "freedom of speech" card get you a get out of jail card. People have lost their lives speaking out for a good cause, people have lost their jobs (like Imus) for opening expressing their racist beliefs, and everything that matters to them because of them not being able to distinguish what's appropriate to say, and being just outright disrespectful.

There should be boundaries because people don't know where to draw the line anymore, and this whole (what I think is a misinterpretation) of the right to freedom of speech, is giving the notion that it's acceptable and should be acceptable to use it negatively. I would like to think that a lot of us would want to walk right up to our employer and really tell him/her what they can do, that would be exercising right to freedom of speech, but that doesn't mean I would still have a job afterwards.

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