Contstitution Day

I have always been a strong defender of the Constitution and our freedoms. I believe they were inspired by Heavenly Father, and therefore, are sacred and to be defended and protected.  But I also believe in a responsible use of them.  Freedom shouldn't be "you can do whatever you want if the Constitution grants that freedom." That, too often, is the ideology. There are consequences, there is right and wrong, there is respect and disrespect. When you cause harm you abuse those rights, and harm our country in a way.  The Constitution is weakened when we let things go to either extreme...too much restriction removing freedom (socialism) or too little accountability in the name of not infringing (anarchy).  Freedom is a privilege that we enjoy, a privilege that we can lose if we do not protect them responsibly.  Just using parenting as an example, we've all seen the negative result of a child who is totally controlled and a child who never had a rule.  It rarely has any positive outcome.

 

Steve Klein uses these freedoms to create and run hate films, hate websites, hate promotions against religions that aren't his own, and people that aren't like him. These items have had direct harmful actions against people and property by those who are then spurred on by them. I believe he should be charged with a hate crime. That is/should be a natural consequence of purposely providing misleading hate information about a specific group based on a purposeful agenda that then causes harm. His organization creates and distributes items as well as provides services with the intent to move people to action, not just to simply inform.  People who read/watch have the agency to choose to act on what he puts out...yes, but when will we hold accountable those who know such a dangerous response will be a likely result and do it anyway.

 

Focusing on the First Amendment, we can be arrested for yelling "fire" in a crowded building when there is none because it is likely to cause harm. We have to start demanding our freedoms not be violated in this fashion either, not just when we are prevented from speaking out!  I do not believe in taking away rights, just holding people accountable, criminally if necessary.  We may need a law created, such as the law for yelling "fire," if current laws when enforced do not apply.   Now we can go down the route of we have to tolerate this stuff to protect our freedoms. While I usually say that, I also believe that we should not tolerate the promotion of hate in any form. Why would anyone allow this type of thing and NOT respond? Our verbal freedom to respond would be in vain here.  Mr. Klein does not care about our words; our words will not prevent him from spreading more hate, nor anyone else like him.

 

Here's an analogy: If you own a gun, get the permits, etc...more power to you. If you use that gun for hunting or target practice or just for a sense of security...more power to you. If you have to harm an individual that is hurting you/or will be...more power to you. If you start shooting your neighbor's mailbox, over their roof, late at night near their home because you want to annoy your neighbor because he made you mad...not okay. You should be arrested for abusing your right to bear arms, and frankly the right to own another gun---natural consequence. It is one thing to say you don't agree with a religion or group of people, it is another to promote the hate and ignore the result of that hate under the umbrella of "First Amendment" and "I didn't do that.  Those people made their own choices."   Mr. Klein, you participated, you promoted, you taught....lie in your bed!

 

When will we wake up and view our freedoms in a responsible manner?  When will we not take them for granted, and stop allowing their abuse in any fashion?  What has to happen before we say, "Enough!"  When will we have the courage to say, "No, that is not okay."  I hope it is today!