RELIGION KILLS
Free Speech has been under assault by both Liberals and Conservatives in recent decades. There was a time when Liberals actively supported freedom of expression because they understood it was THE primary freedom from which all other freedoms flowed. The early figures from my own country’s history protected speech with the FIRST Amendment to the Constitution because they knew all too well that ideas that are considered taboo and offensive today might be considered essential truths by future generations.
The repulsive 1960s generation of American Liberals were all about Free Speech when THEIR ideas were the ones offending people. Once they considered themselves to be comfortably in the cultural, educational and political driver’s seat by the early 1990s they decided they wanted their own already outdated worldview enshrined in stone and presented as THE one true set of values.
They became the Political Correctness Police and anyone who offended their 1960s attitudes had to be silenced because – as they knew so well from their own experience – when controversial ideas are given the room to breathe they can often thrive. The totalitarian asses of the 1960s can’t bear the fact that younger people might have opinions that offend THEM as much as their opinions offended their parents’ generation.
SPIKED-Online.com is launching a FREE SPEECH NOW campaign in recognition of the fact that, all around the world similar assaults on Freedom of Expression are being made. If Muslims are offended they want the offensive material banned, if authoritarian regimes like the one in China are offended they want the offensive material banned, and on and on it goes. Considering that the more easily offended someone is the less intelligent they tend to be I find it amazing that Politically Correct censorship has thrived the way it has.
SPIKED-Online.com’s opening post in this campaign even quotes Spinoza’s wonderful line “Every man should think what he likes and say what he thinks.” That still rings true because no matter what the hypersensitive fools who want to censor the rest of us find offensive NONE of them has the right to try to extinguish one single product of the human mind.
Here at Balladeer’s Blog I deal with these issues on a daily basis. Just about everything I write offends either left-wing fanatics or right-wing fanatics or religious fanatics. So, in the spirit of freedom of expression no matter whose delicate little sensibilities are offended (including – GASP – African- Americans) I will link to Spiked-Online.com’s post and would certainly encourage anyone else who creates in any way to join me in doing so. Tell the powers that be – no matter what their skin color or their blood-soaked religion – that you will NOT let them dictate to you what ideas and opinions you are free to express. CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE AT SPIKED – http://www.spiked-online.com/freespeechnow/fsn_article/let-everyone-think-what-he-likes-and-say-what-he-thinks#.Uz8mu4JghtT
Balladeer's Blog 
Great article! Well written and while I may not agree with everything you say, I’ll defend to my death your right to say it.
Ha! Thanks! Too few people feel that way these days.
I am glad 2 c somebody saying these things. 2 many people are intimidated.
Thanks! I’m glad to do it!
Excellent points! People cave in to censorship too quickly these days!
THanks!
Great post! This needs to be the anthem of the whole world right now!
Thanks! I could not agree more!
I think people are a little too sensitive, too.
Thanks for the comment!
So u want the right to be racist?
What an incredibly stupid remark to make. Right wingers use accusations of being “unpatriotic” to try to quell legitimate dissent and left wingers use accusations of “racism” to try to quell legitimate dissent and legitimate analysis of issues that affect us all, regardless of skin color. Coward.
People who won’t defend free speech are too weak to defend anything.
I agree.
I believe Free Speech is the most important freedom and should trump all others.
I agree!
Beautifully worded!
Thanks!
Too many people complain about every little thing that offends them!
I agree!
To hell with anybody who tries to stifle freedom of expression!
You said it!
Nice work in support of free speech!
Thanks!
Everybody needs free speech. The political correctness police show people how much every single day.
Yes they do with their ugly totalitarian attitude.,
Just like rock and roll lyrics. People need to lighten up and honor free expression.
Yes they do!
These pilitically correct whiners better not come after my music
They’ll try, you just have to stand firm.
I’m so sick of left wingers and right wingers trying to censor the rest of us!
Me too!
Its like you read my mind! You seem to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something.
I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message home a
bit, but other than that, this is excellent blog. A great read.
I’ll definitely be back.
Thanks
Free speech is impotant!
Yes it is!
People have become such wussies.
Yes they have!
Wow! There should be a law against people writing this. Forget your white male construct of free speech. Capitalism and heteronormativity must be crushed.
Wow! Forget your emotional cripple construct of heteronormativity and your hilariously outdated phobia about capitalism. Don’t waste my time with your childish gibberish. You need to grow up.
Wonderfully said! Free speech should be important to everyone.
Unfortunately it isn’t, though.
My roommate was one of those “free speech is a white male abstraction” morons. What an asshole.
To say the least.
Free speech is necessary for other freedoms!
I agree!
Great blog here! Too many people are giving up on Free Speech every time somebody’s delicate feelings are hurt.
I know what you mean.
Love it! We all need to be able to criticize those in power.
I agree.
So u think u have the right 2 say things other peple find ofensive?
Yes. I do. And emotional cripples like you need to toughen up.
Free Speech may well go down the tubes.
It will of the governments of the world have anything to say about it.
Spot on with this write-up, we all need to keep freedom of expression available to all.
Thanks!
Free speech is okay until it becomes hate speech.
There is no such thing as hate speech.
Free Speech is under attack from Muslims and the left.
I certainly agree.
I have got to start a blog of my own to push free speech principles.
C’mon ahead! The more the merrier!
Free speech is essential.
Yes, it most certainly is.
Free speech benefits haters only.
Actually, free speech benefits everyone.
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL DECLARED THAT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IS A HUMAN RIGHT!
Yes they did!
I agree. I used to be a solid Democrat, too, but they are even worse and more restrictive than religious republicans now.
I know exactly how you feel.
You are my free speech hero!!!
Thank you very much.
Preach, brother! Free speech with no apologies!
You said it!
I like your passion and I despise the 60s generation leftists too.
Thanks. What’s NOT to despise about them?
Keep spreading the truth about free speech!
Will do.
I wish everyone could express this as well and as passionately as you do.
Thank you.
Free speech is every bit as important as you say! 🙂
Thank you.
Well put. The notion that people should be jailed or worse over expressing opinions is so fascist.
Thank you. I agree.
Good post. You put this far better than I could.
Thank you.
Great article. We all need freedom of expression every single day.
Thanks! You know it!
Your intensity on this issue is obvious. Free speech is important to us, too.
That is good to hear.
I subscribed! We all need to show solidarity regarding free speech!
Thank you very much! Yes we do!
Nazis supported free speech, too.
No they didn’t, you moron.
Sing it brother! Too many people are willing to let so-called authorities dictate what they can and can’t say.
Thank you very much.
You can count me as someone who defends free speech, too.
That is good to hear.
This is my new favorite free speech article!
Thanks.
Big ups for free speech!
Yep.
It is so wonderful to see a man standing up for freedom of expression!
Thank you very much!
FREE SPEECH FOREVER!
You said it!
You hit the nail on the head with the uselessness of the 60s generation leftists when it comes to free speech.
Thank you very much.