Left vs. Right: Free Speech (A Left Opinion)
October 3, 2017
Freedom of speech, while it sounds like a positive and productive concept, is constantly used as an excuse for speaking and acting hatefully.
A perfect example of a problem that freedom of speech can bring the damage Donald Trump causes by speaking without thinking.
He was publicly asked “when will the U.S. stop sending money to our enemies, i.e. Mexico and others?” and his response was, “The Mexican legal system is corrupt, as is most of Mexico. Pay me the money that is owed me now, and stop sending criminals over our border, — Donald Trump
Mexicans make up 17% of the U.S. population; therefore, Trump is saying that 17% of people who are living in the United States are criminals and rapists. He’s alienating people, and it’s not okay.
Those who are complaining about the Black Lives Matter protests, a group which stands for peace and equal rights, are justifying their white supremacist ideology by saying they’re just exercising their freedom of speech. It cannot stand.
White supremacism is far beyond freedom of speech; it creates an unsafe atmosphere for Jews, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and multiculturalism. To justify the decisions of a group that are aiming to harm and degrade oppressed groups is absolutely inexcusable.
Also if people can abuse their freedom of speech, they should also be able to handle others exercising their rights. If they have the freedom to say racist, misogynist, or homophobic slurs, they should be fully prepared and open to hearing people from the other side telling them that they’re racist, or a sexist, or a homophobe.
The fact of the matter is, while people are not about to be stopped from saying certain things, that does not mean they should be said.
In today’s society it has become common to hear racial and homophobic slurs like the n-word and f****t on a daily basis. People say these things without even thinking of the way they could make each other feel with these seemingly small and harmless “jokes”.
Is it fair to people of color and the LGBTQ+ community to have to hear someone casually using the n-word as if it’s not a big deal, or saying “that’s so gay” as some type of insult? Not even a little. Freedom of speech has become just another reason for people to disrespect each other without anyone being able to stop them, no matter how harmful they’re being.
Take Milo Yiannopoulos for example. He goes around to colleges and blatantly insults feminism, Black Lives Matter, and progressive social justice, going as far as to say that “it’s cancerous and toxic to free expression”. He also had the audacity to contend that rape culture does not exist on campuses.
There are Berkeley students such as Kathryn Taylor Swain and Claire Danna, who have spoken out in interviews about their fears on campus because of the people using hate speech during “Free Speech Week”. Swain says “I am thoroughly petrified and fearful for my safety on this campus during Free Speech Week as a black woman”, and she “has chosen not to attend [her] lectures in efforts to keeping [herself] safe”. Danna “worries about the safety of queer and trans people like [herself]”, and considering “stepping back into the closet [that] week”.
Berkeley did not make a mistake cancelling “Free Speech Week”, it was with good reason. When there are students of color fearing for their safety to the point of skipping classes and LGBTQ+ students considering closeting themselves all over again because of hate speeches during that week, it’s too far. Cancelling the event for the sake of the people was a smart choice by Berkeley.
When U.C. Berkeley made the decision not to allow Yiannopoulos to speak publicly, Trump tweeted angrily about how “they did not allow free speech”. Apparently, according to our president, it’s okay for someone to publicly humiliate and shame groups of people just because they have the legal right to.
Society has gone too far when we’re more focused on what rights we have legally than we are on respecting and caring for one another.
David Dean • Nov 10, 2018 at 7:51 PM
While it is very ‘in vogue’ to call having a border racist, or taking kids away from people who crossed illegally – it is important to look at things in perspective. Specifically, a border is a border for the very reason it divides two countries. No doubt, most people who want to come the USA do so to have a better life, but it cannot be ignored those are not the only people who come over the border illegally. For example, about 98% of drugs that kills thousands of American’s each year come from Mexico, see Washington Post article citing to Government stats, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/report-nearly-all-998-of-illegal-drugs-shipped-to-us-from-mexico It is a fact most people cannot cross the border without the help of the cartels who control various sections of the border. When migrants cannot afford to pay there way, they must earn the ability to cross the border by hauling drugs for the cartel. Not just innocent ‘pot’ but very deadly Heroin, Methamphetimine, Ecstacy, and the list goes on. These drugs kill people. These drugs often addict people, force users to prostitue out themselves, there kids, commit crimes, become infected with HIV, lose there teeth, there job, the way of life and the ability to live as they once did see some before/after pictures here of users, https://wjla.com/news/nation-world/before-after-meth-users#photo-1 Mexico owns the methamphetimine market since it does not restrict much of the chemicals needed to make Meth for example.
While it is easy to demonize a President who is taking action to enforce our border and do the job Democrats have not done (possibly since most illegals end up registering as Democrats) the end result is Trump is our President. President’s need not be cool, popular, but need to protect our country. Although some parts of the world are not good places – there is a legal manner to go about asking to be allowed in.
Bringing children to commit a criminal act (crossing the border) does not provide a shield from being arrested. Every single day people drive drunk, get stopped by police with a warrant, or are doing something while having kids with them, doesn’t mean the kids go to jail with the parent, or the parent is let go. It means the parent goes to jail and unless a family member can pick up the child, then the CPS is called. In sum, when thousands of people flood the border with children, parents will be seperated as with any other person who is arrested. The choice of the parents is simple – do not cross illegally and subject your and your child to being seperated.
In short there is a distinct desparity between hate speech, and conduct that is not hateful, but merely fufilling an oath to protect a country as a President. If it is an unpopular method to do so, such as protecting the border, then so be it. It keeps structure to our country, deters many from trying to cross, and prevents horrific drugs from coming into this country and destroying lives. In sum, I do not believe hate speech is warranted where a person has an obligation to protect our contry and his actions are within the constitution to do so.
While I certainely agree your article is well written, and Zoie’s comments are accurate in that your article is well written, I would only ask you look at the big picture – not just the emotional picture the media tells you to adopt – since ultimately the USA cannot adopt every person who wants in.
John doe III • Mar 21, 2018 at 9:30 AM
K. Try writing form both sides and seeing any other opinion but yourself. Just try. Maybe once. Ever. Just think about it. Maybe there is another side.
Alex S. • Oct 13, 2017 at 3:29 PM
This article paints liberalism to be this accepting tolerant ideology. Really liberals are actually extremely intolerant, they use the excuses shared in this article to gain a moral high ground that they’re defending justice for society when in reality they’re attacking their political opposition on the right. It’s manipulative and suppressive and doesn’t belong in this great country we live in where people have fought and died for the right of everyone to express their beliefs freely. Liberalism is a direct opponent to free speech and these kinds of beliefs prove troubling to how this generation will lead this country.
Alyssa Mitchell • Oct 10, 2017 at 6:18 PM
What a shame it is that the liberal left will say things like freedom of speech “constantly used as an excuse for speaking and acting hatefully” when liberals will frequently say some of the most atrocious things to conservatives. I think that next time you want to write an article about freedom of speech you should focus on some of the trash the comes out of liberals mouths. Enough of this “Trump is saying that 17% of people who are living in the United States are criminals and rapists” rhetoric and take the time to really figure out what Trump is saying. He is noting that illegal aliens who are rapist and criminals NEED to be deported, not that 17% of the population are criminals. Learn the facts before you spew misleading facts and statistics like this.
Claire Cone • Oct 13, 2017 at 11:43 AM
I think that this article was focused more on the fact that some people of different races or sexuality aren’t being accepted in society and it is due to the freedom of being able to publicly discriminate towards people you dislike, however you choose to. Never once did she mention that conservatives are at fault for the freedom of speech problem, so don’t address points that don’t even refer to anything being said in the article.
Lauren Yusay • Oct 10, 2017 at 5:57 AM
This article is absolutely pure. I truly appreciate your take and where you stand with this. This piece definitely goes above and beyond, with everything you pointed out. Very nice work!
sammi haas • Oct 9, 2017 at 7:29 PM
This is so well written! Great job!
Jonah Umans • Oct 9, 2017 at 6:51 PM
I completely agree with everything you said in this article and how you tied everything together it felt like I was reading something written by a professional writer. Well done.
Isabelle • Oct 7, 2017 at 4:14 PM
The article was really well written and you made so many great points! Your ending was amazing and everything throughout fit perfectly. Great job
Jack Thompson • Oct 5, 2017 at 9:53 PM
I thought that many of the points made in this article were brilliantly worded. Just because we have the right to something does not mean it should be abused and used hatefully. The ending sentence brought the gravity of the article home and I think it was very well written overall.
Srijita Ghosh • Oct 5, 2017 at 9:18 PM
I love the way this article was written !
zoie bonnette • Oct 5, 2017 at 8:45 PM
This article really spoke to me and the points made were very insightful. This article was so well written and spoke for other people who can’t.
zoe hotmer • Oct 5, 2017 at 8:29 PM
I absolutely love the way this piece is written. There were great points made and the author did an excellent job in conveying them. This whole article enthralled me and I couldn’t stop reading it.
andrea martinez • Oct 5, 2017 at 8:27 PM
I absolutely love the way this was written. I completely agree with you. Thank you for speaking out for those who can’t. Great Job!
maycie thaut • Oct 5, 2017 at 8:19 PM
I agree 100% with this article! It has so many great points and facts that are hard to ignore about the world today!
austin zielenbach • Oct 5, 2017 at 8:15 PM
This article was so well written!! You took so many ideas and mixed them together so beautifully!!
tia nguyen • Oct 4, 2017 at 9:45 PM
I love the way this was written! There were definite great points made.
izzy mckay • Oct 4, 2017 at 4:12 PM
I thought this was an amazing article and the way you put all of this into words was simply amazing because i just can never seem to be able to.
lizzie woods • Oct 4, 2017 at 1:03 PM
This is a really well written article, and the author does a great job following the topic at hand.