FREE SPEECH FREE.....WHAT?

     Lately there has been much made of the right of and to free speech. Certainly, here in the USA there is an enshrined right to free speech based on and in the Constitution and a proud tradition. Oh, there have been glitches, particularly when people did not agree, so union organizers, fighters for social justice and other people along that line were often called traitors or seditionists or communists. Notice, by the way, that fascists were never included in this role call for all knew that they meant to take away rights from segments of society, though we must remember that communism led to severe repression as well.
     This right did have a limit, for when it infringed on the rights of others or violated safety issues, it was limited and we all know the fire in the theater rule or story. So one can rail against women, against labor laws, against LGBTQ, against Jews or Moslems or blacks or whomever as long as it does not advocate violence, death and mayhem. It can be rough, but it is the law.
     Today campuses around the country are demanding the limitation and the expansion of free speech - but very selectively. You see, what students wish to say about selected targets is fine, but if it infringes upon their beliefs then suddenly we have the college equivalent to helicopter parents and "safe" places are needed, advance warning is needed so that they can go away and not hear some strong statements or words. Opposition speakers are booed and heckled, BDS wants to bring back the oh so lovely days of rampant and wide open anti Semitism and disguise it as anti Zionism - sorry, folks, same difference. Even in Germany, in Germany! we have this. Nauseating beyond all words.
     And this weird world, like the Brave New World or 1984, has a newspeak language wherein things are truly not clear in the normal sense of the words. Values are shattered and thrust aside and society is not serving the people but rather the other way around.
    People forget that words are dangerous. Let us take abortion. For many years it was legal in the USA and many took advantage of the right in whatever situation they were in - and it was not our right to deny that access.  It was a right to criticize, but not to infringe on their right to control their own bodies. Then suddenly it was illegal and even contraception or talking about it was verboten and the back alley abortion deaths rose quickly.
     Finally Roe v. Wade brought the right back again but look what has happened. Rights are being limited particularly with nonsensical demands and new terminology that never was and never is. But worse than that is the fact that even contraception is being challenged. Viagra for men - oh, absolutely, but abortion rights and contraception rights for women - uh uh. No matter why.
    So pray outside the clinics all one wishes to. That is a right. But do not take life in the name of saving life. Yesterday we had another awful situation at a Planned Parenthood clinic, a clinic where help is given to women in need and NO abortion is paid for by or with Federal funds, but does that stop the killers, the liars? No and so more people are dead - death in the name of life. This cannot be. Denial of free speech leads to denial of other rights. We might not like what other people have to say, but if not deemed harmful or hate speech, or traitorous, then it is allowed. As it should be.
     Words can hurt and they cannot be taken back and contrary to that ridiculous nursery rhyme, words can hurt you. But again, it behooves us to watch mouths but we do have the right to shoot them off or shoot from the hip or whatever phrase you wish to use. And remember - these are words we are "shooting' - not bullets but if persistently denied, along with other rights, revolutions often occur, some bloodless and some not. (Word to the wise - and the not so wise - revolution is certainly called for here in the Village, but we are talking of a revolution of words, of votes, of deeds, of thought and emphatically not guns so please, no more fake Bakerizing of people. That was truly shameful.)
     Even prayer can be hurtful and harmful. For centuries, there has been a Good Friday prayer wherein Catholics were praying for the benighted Jews who have not recognized the power and the rightness of Jesus Christ. We, remembering that he was a Jew and died as one and proclaimed aloud values from Judaism, we have no problem with Torah precepts that he avowed, but we do have a problem where he strayed off that path and accepting him as the Messiah and are still waiting for one. This is a difference that does not lay blame on anyone for a belief - or rather it should not. However, the American bishops just recently petitioned for a change in the prayer, long overdue, one that does not call Jews benighted or evil or lacking in understanding for not accepting Jesus as their lord. This is called the right of religion, another guaranteed right of the Constitution. If it is abrogated in one place, it will be abrogated in another and in many countries around the world where forms of Christianity are not the main religion, Christians are in big trouble, facing persecution, being expelled from a country and even torture and death so can we all please agree that all should be left to worship as they wish, as they believe, without harming or insulting or oppressing those who are differing in their beliefs. If only we would, what a difference that would make. No bombs based on religion. No threats. No forced conversions. No killing between sects of the same religion. Just a blessed right of and to free speech in all areas with proper safety limits, but no helicoptering parents on campus or government to tell us what to say or do. Free thought. Ahh, what a world it would be.
      John Lennon calls for a world of no religion, no Heaven, no countries. I do not believe that would be so good either, but the thought is clear - a yearning for peace and brotherly love. Most times, I truly doubt it will ever be achieved but we can surely try. And while many of you reading this will not agree with me on some issues - that is your right and mine and thank G-d we live in America.

Total in Israel for October, November:  24 dead, 210 wounded, 82 for shock. From the elderly to the young, Jew and even some Arabs  being killed in these attacks, stabbed, hacked, axed, shot, rammed by cars. And the attacks continue, thankfully avoiding more killing and wounding.