Is Our Freedom of Speech Gone? Seems like it may be.

[leftyladyfrommo]

Have you noticed lately? People in all kinds of trouble for just stating what they believe or don't believe. In trouble for the T-shirt they wear. We even have dialogue on DU about whether or not our phones are tapped.

Have you gotten a lot more careful about what you say and who you say it to?

I know I have.

So, do we need to get rid of the Patriot Act and get back to basics here?

And is Obama the best candidate for that? Or Edwards?

This is really an important issue for me.

[porphyrian]

1. We absolutely need to get rid of the "Patriot Act." It's unconstitutional.

But don't let it or anything else scare you away from exercising your freedom of speech. If we willing give up our freedoms, we don't deserve them.

[liberal N proud]

2. You are free to say what ever you want

As long as it is in agreement with the ideals of the bu$h regime and the neocons

Everything else will be seen as "emboldening the enemy"


:sarcasm:

[leftyladyfrommo]

3. I find myself even being careful what I say on the phone.

And I'm not exactly an anarchist.

[Clark2008]

4. Considering Edwards helped write the Patriot Act... umm...

not him.

[misternormal]

5. I speak my mind to whomever will listen....

If they want me, they can come and get me...

I'm not going anywhere.

[leftyladyfrommo]

7. Really. That is the healthiest way to be.

Unfortunately I have been so stomped down for so many years that I am just automatically careful now. Comes from working in the banking industry for so long. Banks expect employees to be be cardboard cutouts of a real person. You definitely can't work at a bank and just say whatever you think.

[Cerridwen]

6. Trumped by 'property rights' these many decades past.

The 'patriot' act is just a more blatant and expedient tool in the gradual erosion of individual people's rights.

See history of unions as one source for examples of business' property rights used to deny access to union workers (lock outs) and union picketers not allowed to picket on private property owned by a business.

edit: grammar

[JacksonWest]

8. The FCC is a bigger threat to freedom of speech then the Patriot Act.

Consolidation of media into corporate ownership will stifle more voices then the Patriot Act. It already has.

If you feel your speech is limited now, call the ACLU. The right certainly isn't gone. It's always threatened, every hour of every day. No matter who is in charge. It's a right we have to always defend, protect, and fight for. Even if we're fighting for unpopular ideas.

People get in trouble for wearing shirts that have the word "terrorist" on them when they're on a plane. I can understand why someone would get booted off. I am terrified of flying. I wouldn't want to look at anything that said terrorist. A private company can regulate that stuff. You can't discuss bombs on a plane without getting booted off-so this is nothing new.

Schools are a different issue, and students have the right to make political statements-and the schools have the right to enforce a dress code. So, there's a grey area there.

But, overall, I don't think we've lost any rights or our freedom of speech is limited. I can't think of any example where someone has been denied their first amendment rights( a citizen) by the government(since the first amendment applies to the federal and state government) outside of a public school situation.

Like I said, there is a threat, and there always will be. the Patriot Act has a lot of good provisions in it that make sense, and it has some bizarre Orwellian provisions that negate the good provisions completely.

The Patriot acts needs to be thrown out, re-named something less obnoxious(loose the new speak name) and address inter and intra agency cooperation in combating domestic threats. That's the good of the patriot act. The 4th amendment violations-that's the bad.

So, my two cents. Rock on.

[bdamomma]

9. how many of us here on DU would like to say what needs

to be done to this administration, but it may viewed as a threat. That is scary.

[leftyladyfrommo]

10. I think about that a lot.

You know that the FBI is listening in on this site all of the time. So I am careful what I post here.

I really don't want to have to deal with a visit from the FBI. That would really ruin my day.

[Rosemary2205]

11. Well "I" haven't had any problem.

That's what most people seem to feel about the loss of freedom of speech.

I had to fly domestically not long ago and am in a wheelchair. I was feeling particularly pissed off for some reason and looked the TSA screener right in the eye and said "George Bush is a dick". The screener just rolled his eyes and sent me along.

2 people behind me was a woman in the black muslim dress who was not speaking english. They pulled her out for extra screening.

Maybe next time I fly I should wear a T-shirt that says "George Bush is a dick" in arabic.

[bdamomma]

14. you would probably get right through since they do not like

translators.

[loveandlight]

12. yes, more careful and more scared by the day

I watch what I say in public. Luckily I work with other like minded folks, so I have a chance to get things off my chest when I need to. And I have a lot of political statements posted around my desk, so no one has a doubt about where I stand. Haven't had any feedback yet about it, negative I mean, so that is a good thing. But in public, I am always aware that someone could be listening. That is a frightening place to be in this country today. I worry the most that we have gone too far down this road to turn back any time soon, but my hope is that this is not true. Only time will tell. Thanks for putting this important issue out there.

[dogday]

13. Yes, along with our rights

The Patriot Act and Presidential Signing Orders are slowly but surely sucking up our rights....

[manic expression]

15. The bourgeoisie only respect 'freedom' when it's convenient

If you try to shake up the system, you'll find that "freedom of speech" is only available to those who are willing to buy it with their principles.

"Freedom" is given only to those who have the approval of the establishment.

[Bandit]

16. You must be in the correct zone...ie Free Speech Zone

also known as the "White Zone" from Frank Zappa...