What is Freedom of Speech

By Jake McMillian
GCN Live.com

In the light of many issues recently, the case of Casey Anthony, Lady Gaga being banned in Lebanon for offensive material, or Bradlee Dean suing MSNBC for defamation, we are being confronted yet again by the question, what is “Freedom of Speech”?.
Does a musician have the right to publically publish songs that encourage rape, sexual promiscuity, murder, blasphemy, and criminal behavior?.



Does a media personality have the liberty to publically share their opinion and cast another person in a false light? Can they report in such a way that incriminates another individual who has not committed a crime? Can they withhold evidence they know exists, though the consequence would sway public opinion under false pretenses?
First I will start by referencing the term “freedom” according to the Webster’s 1828 dictionary, which gives us the meaning of words found in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. This, of course, is the amendment loved by the immoral media (i.e. musicians, comedians, news anchors, columnists, etc.).
Freedom: 1. A state of exemption from the power or control of another; liberty; exemption from slavery, servitude or confinement. Freedom is personal, civil, political, and religious. [See Liberty.]
So let’s go to “liberty” as Noah Webster suggests, in the context of Civil Liberty.
Liberty: 3. Civil liberty is an exemption from the arbitrary will of others, which exemption is secured by established laws, which restrain every man from injuring or controlling another. Hence the restraints of law are essential to civil liberty.
The liberty of one depends not so much on the removal of all restraint from him, as on the due restraint upon the liberty of others.
Firstly we understand as the Declaration of Independence cites, “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights (liberties)”.
Due to the definition above we now clearly we understand that god has not given us the liberty to break God-given laws. We are not at liberty to act in contrary to the law. Charles de Montesquieu comes to our aid as he states, “Liberty is the right to do what the law permits.”
Because many would seek to claim God-given rights without following God-commanded laws, why don’t these anarchists just simple say what they really mean? They would say something like this, “I don’t care about the Constitution, or rights. I hate the law and want things to be done my way at all cost.”
If they would leave off arguing we would be able to find a great solution for them. Establish your own country and set of laws and do what you will there. But then as history teaches us, wickedness and lawbreakers can establish nothing. They NEED the labors, institutions, and commerce of upright and good men to build the infrastructure they desire to plunder…I digress…
William Blackstone, a man our framers relied upon for insight into the Common Law and judicial regulations, pronounced, “Upon these two foundations, the Laws of Nature and the Laws of Revelation (Laws of God) depends all human laws, that is to say that no human laws should be suffered to contradict these.”
We have no local, county, state, or federal laws that permit “Freedom of Speech” outside of “the LAW.”
Now you be the judge. Be free from the coercion of man and tell me what “Freedom of Speech” really means.

 
Jake McMillian is the talk radio co-host of Sons of Liberty. The program airs Monday – Friday 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. CST, and Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on the GCN Radio Network. Or listen On Demand anytime.