Free Speech

Free Speech. A much used word and very much under threat. 

So what does the US bill of rights say about it?"Congress cannot make a law that favors the establishment of one particular religion; that prohibits the free exercise of religion; or that restricts freedom of speech or of the press, or the right of the people to gather and engage in peaceful demonstrations and to petition the government for redress of their grievances".

It can certainly be argued that efforts have been made by governments and institutions around the worlds to suppress this first tenet of the US bill of rights. In this world of open and accessible information, information is available at your fingertips. We may argue that certain information should not be in the public domain WHY? People will say National Security etc. But when you think about it, isn’t it in our interest that all should be held accountable for their actions, and besides if more than one person knows a “secret” the chances of it remaining a secret are greatly reduced.

WikiLeaks is a prime example. Julian Assange can only do what he does because there are people out there that want the truth to be heard and anyway it’s in our interest to know what it is that our “enemies” are being told, in the old days we had no idea that they knew what they knew, so at the very least this has put the occupation of spying out of business.

Secrets make you sick, a phrase used in these parts. I believe strongly that honesty is the best policy in everything, it makes for a much easier life, no need to try and remember what your spin was on a particular subject and there’s less likelihood of starting conflicts if everyone is completely open about the issues.

Right now I’m involved in a civil rights case, I was asked to sign a “Confidentiality Agreement” I really didn’t see the point. Frankly as witnesses will be called and more than one person is involved, when the word does get out who will be blamed? My case involves discrimination against me, although it involved others and has/had the potential of becoming a “class action” something that my adversaries certainly want to avoid. It’s been going on for 8 months now and many people would have walked away in frustration. The impact on my life is immeasurable, and maybe with hindsight I should never have started the case, but started it has and as “no win no fee” attorneys refused to take me on I was left handling everything myself which opened up a Pandora’s box of things I’d never really considered in the past.

It’s been a long, exhausting and on many levels sad journey, in 4 days’ time I may be bankrupt and homeless or I may be able to live my life in comfort and security and continue to write my blogs  But whatever happens the story will get out there, and not due to me necessarily but because of all these factors involved in Free Speech.

Our Bill of Rights is worth protecting, when you look and study it its only then that you realize that its in danger, perhaps each item in the bill should become a topic for future “blogs”, preferably I’d prefer others to do that.

THE REST OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS 

Because a well-regulated militia is necessary to national security, the right of the people to keep and bear arms may not be infringed.

No soldier may be quartered in any house during a time of peace without the owner's consent, or in a time of war except as prescribed by law.

People have the right to be free, in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, from unreasonable searches and seizures, and no warrants may issue without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and specifically describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.

No person may be tried for a capital or other "infamous crime" unless he or she has first been indicted by a grand jury, except in military cases. No person may be made to answer for the same offense twice (double jeopardy); be compelled to be a witness against himself or herself in a criminal case; or be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. Nor may private property be taken for public use without fair compensation (eminent domain).

Whenever someone is on trial for committing a crime, he or she has the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury of the state and district where the crime was committed, to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation, to confront the witnesses against him or her, to be able to compel the testimony of witnesses in his or her favor, and to the assistance of defense counsel.

Whenever the amount at issue in a lawsuit is over twenty dollars, the parties have the right to a jury trial, and no jury verdict may be overturned except according to the strict rules of the justice system.

There can be no excessive bail or fines, nor cruel and unusual punishment.

This list of rights should not be read to limit in any way any other rights of the people.

The powers not specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution, nor prohibited by the Constitution to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people