Freedom Of

Citizens assemble with the sole goal of declaring that they disapprove of the course of government. To meddle in the government of society and to speak about it is the greatest business and, so to speak, the only pleasure America knows...
- Alexis de Tocqueville

As I continue to follow the news out of Iran, I am more and more grateful to our country and its founders for providing us with the freedom, security and relative stability that allows us to assemble and disapprove without the fear of beatings, shootings or arrests. I think we all take it for granted...I know I do. We are such a young country, and it took us awhile to get to a place where it's at least commonly held that all men (and women) are created equal, but that we did? That, for all the work we have yet to do, we have done so much? I think it's extraordinary.

But in the wake of all of this new found appreciation, there is also disappointment. We have the means to change our government. We have the opportunity to make our voices heard. And yet, we still turn to violence. To shoot an abortion doctor, an army recruiter, a museum crowd because that somehow seems like a better idea than any other alternative. Than using any of the vast freedom given to us or living up to the responsibility that comes with that freedom. It's abuse in the negative. Right now, in Iran, people are risking their lives so that they can have a voice, and yet, here, people would still prefer to silence the voice of others than make their own heard. It's a slap in the face of our Constiution, in my mind, besides being a horrifying display of hate.

Violence isn't the only abuse, though. We were given freedom of speech to air our greivances and engage each other in open debate, so that we could hold the government accountable as well as each other. So it saddens me when media pundits purposefully fan the flames of outrage and divisiveness for ratings. Besides lowering the tone of discussion on an issue and inciting people to the aformentioned violence, it ignores the higher and better purposes that can be achieved by sharing opinion. It's irresponsible, to say the least. But, however much I disagree with how it's used, it is their right, just as it is my right to talk about it here. It's not up to me to determine what is or is not fair game beyond voicing my thoughts on any given matter, and I think that's how it should be.

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.
-Evelyn Beatrice Hall