October 8, 2010
In 1789, founding father James Madison introduced a series of legislative articles to the First Congressional Congress of the United States. These articles eventually became what we know as the Bill of Rights. According to Madison, the first, most sacred right that all Americans should share is the “free exercise…of the freedom of speech”. There is a reason why this right became the very first amendment of the newly enacted Constitution.
This “inalienable right” has helped make the United States one of the greatest nations in the history of the world. The First Amendment grants us the right to speak out for the beliefs that each of us holds integral to our being. It is the choice of each person whether or not to listen to those speaking, not whether the individual should be speaking out. That is the magnificent, hidden right behind the First Amendment – we have a choice to listen to others, or not.
Unfortunately, in recent months, in this sleepy little section of the U.S., we have devious individuals at work undermining the work of our forefathers. We have a thief or thieves among our mix. Are they stealing cars? Robbing houses? No, nothing that mild. These insidious thieves are stealing our right to free speech, by stealing political signs from our front yards. You may not agree with what I believe in, and I might not believe in yours, but the system works because we each have the right to express our opinions. However, stealing my voice (by stealing the signs on my lawn) will lead to one group not having a voice. If history has taught us one thing, it is that once one group loses its voice, the others will soon follow. Let’s protect this sacred right by allowing all individuals to practice our First Amendment rights. After all, it is your choice whether to listen to my point of view, not whether I can practice my freedom to express my opinion.
