Florida pastors Terry Jones and Wayne Sapp want to burn the Quran in front of the largest mosque in North America, which just happens to be in Dearborn, which just happens to be in Michigan, as part of an anti-Muslim rally.
Dearborn wants to charge them about $46,000 for security. (and they're gonna need it. this could get real ugly real quick.) That's the reason for Jones being in court; he's saying he shouldn't have to pay.
No one is saying that Jones and Sapp can't burn the Muslim Holy Book.
That's not in dispute.
Why?
Because Jones and Sapp enjoy the freedom of our First Amendment.
In a nut shell, your First Amendment protects your right to freedom of expression and freedom to practice your religion without government interference.
A lot has been said lately about the loss of freedom of speech at Stockbridge council meetings. People appear to be angry that their allotted time of 3 minutes per comment is somehow unfair; and outlining what will and will not be tolerated during that 3 minutes somehow restrictive.
Any public speaker will tell you that after 3 minutes, you are losing your audience anyway. Their minds are drifting off to shopping lists, doctor's appointments and oil changes. If you can't say what you mean in 3 minutes, you probably don't know what you want to say anyway. Make your point in under a minute and a half, and chances are people will still be listening.
Unless you're Don Rickles or Eddie Murphy, personal attacks on members of your listening audience will at a minimum fall flat, at a maximum offend your listeners, and again, you've lost your audience.
Why do you think Dale Carnegie tells speakers to "open with a joke or friendly remark to engage your audience" ? (mama's translation: you get more flies with honey)
But we're getting away from the issue.
Free speech is alive and well in Stockbridge, for those of you who know how to exercise it as was intended by the Founding Fathers.
For those of you who want to light up the council meetings with riotous antics and burn down reputations, go to Dearborn instead.
There's a couple of guys you should meet.
OMG! Another ON TARGET blog! Hope someone is listening (reading). THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteThese two guys also come to our state armed with .45's.
ReplyDeleteExpecting trouble?
This is not free speech - this is two assholes with guns trying to incite a riot under the guise of free speech.
How would you feel if 2 armed Muslims wanted to burn the Bible in front of the biggest church in North America?
This is a PERVERSION of the First Amendment.
And so is what certain people in the village are trying to do at council meetings. Pervert the First Amendment to accommodate their bent and twisted thinking, hiding behind the Constitution to call people names and make accusations based on that same bent and twisted thinking - not facts.
Shame on you.