By Anna Von Reitz
Our freedom of speech happened to be mentioned as an example of four foundational freedoms preserved and guaranteed under the agreements implementing the Federal Constitutions. As the authors were at pains to remind everyone (Amendment X) this brief listing and the items cited as part of the Bill of Rights by no means enumerate, limit, or stipulate the only rights we retain.
The full gamut of Natural and Unalienable Rights are ours. We didn't relinquish any of them in order to fulfill the contracts represented by the three (3) Federal Constitutions.
So the first caveat is to avoid the assumption that just because certain rights and prerogatives are mentioned as part of the Bill of Rights that those are the only rights and material interests we retained. The truth about this was later explicitly stated as the Tenth Amendment and should be appreciated by every American reading this.
So, our right to Free Speech is a Natural and Unalienable Right which is inherent to our Nature; we have the inherent ability to communicate and to communicate freely; it is not left to any "lesser God" to dictate how we use this precious gift, because it belongs to us as an immutable and natural and uniquely individual gift.
Our "voice signature" is every bit as unique as any other unique aspect of our physical manifestation.
With this background, it is easy to see that our Freedom of Speech is not granted to us by any government; instead, it is protected from any control imposed by or any manipulation promoted by the government.
Just as government cannot edit, suppress, direct, or censor our speech, it cannot "offer" to do these things as a service, and may not
intrude upon our private thoughts or communications, so as to create "thought crimes" and promote similar immaterial harms as a basis for fines and imprisonment.
The living people are by Nature invested with the Right of Free Speech and woe unto anyone who attempts to interfere with the free exercise of verbal expression of any kind, anywhere, any time. We can howl, we can whistle, we can sing; we can speak, we can shout, we can say outrageous things.
The only bounds which law allows, is that we may not verbally slander each other -- an act calculated to harm and indeed causing harm. And we may not evade verbal contracts.
One legal definition of slander is: Slander is the act of making false verbal statements about someone that damages their reputation. It is a verbal form of defamation of character that can be brought before a court for damage claims. The written equivalent of this is called libel.
Slander is an act -- it is under our volition. We have the free choice to commit slander or not. It requires our action.
Slander involves making false statements. If your statements are true and provable, you are not committing slander by definition--- but here is the caveat: you can commit slander in ignorance.
What if you are wrong, and it turns out that you have made false and damaging statements about someone, even though at the time, you thought you were telling the truth?
Can you really guarantee and prove --- as in a court of law --- that what you are saying is true?
If not, you and everyone else are far better off, if you simply zip your lips and say nothing at all.
Slander cases are rare in this modern era, but they are still devastating when successfully pursued, because the victim gets to set the value of the damage done --- as Joyce Bahar and Whoopi Goldberg and "the View" talk show recently found out.
So everyone who delights in making snide comments and insinuations, everyone prone to nasty gossip and suppositions needs to realize that there is a line between free speech and slander and it's definitely best not to cross that line, because (A) reckless words and accusations really can damage people ---including yourself, and (B) the gift of free speech does not imply any gift to defame others.
Opinions should always be offered as opinions, as in, "In my opinion, Tommy was in the wrong, and shouldn't have just taken Jim's dog to the dog park without telling Jim." That doesn't defame anyone, doesn't accuse Tommy of theft, and just expresses your personal opinion -- clearly stated as such. You can always hold and express your opinion.
In my opinion, with very few exceptions, the members of the United States Municipal Congress are felons, and have knowingly acted as such.
That's not slander. That's an opinion.
You can also poke fun, if it's obvious that it is in jest, even if it is also painfully truthful: "I couldn't tell the difference between my Mom's butt and her pink crepe dress."
That's pretty outrageous, but it's not slander.
It doesn't impugn your Mom's character, even if it is rude and may be hurtful to comment on her physical condition. You always want to ask yourself if the one on the receiving end of your humor would laugh --- or cry --- if they heard your remark.
Hurting someone's feelings is a form of harm. It's difficult to quantify or put a price on it, but like many other things in life, it falls in the priceless category--- and you don't want to go there just because you had the chance to make a sharp observation if it's at someone else's expense.
As these examples demonstrate, having the freedom to say something doesn't address the finer issue of whether you should say something or not. While exercising your right to free speech -- have a care about the choices you make.
That's a part of learning to self-govern, and as we all know by now, the proper self-governance of our country begins at home, with the choices we make as individuals responsible for governing our own speech, our own tempers, and our own beliefs.
As my Mother liked to remind me --- God gave us the whole tree, but we have to prune it.
Or take a clue from George Washington -- "In matters of speech, let us be tempered and kind, with each word put through the sieve of a settled mind."
Or as my adopted Indian Grandmother told me when she handed me my "Talking Stone" as a mouthy teenager -- "Hold this smooth stone to your lips before you say anything. Pause just a moment and think. Words are living things. Once you open your mouth, they escape and who knows where they go from here?"
Yes, it's a great gift to have freedom of speech and be able to speak your mind and say whatever you please, but the gift itself needs to be governed by reason, by kindness, and by decency. This is how we come to have wisdom and grace and win respect for what we say.
In some of the Assemblies of our beloved people, there have been terrible problems wrought by intemperate and irresponsible speech.
People have made accusations and assumptions damaging to others, without any proof or appeal to reason. They've gossiped until their public meetings are like watching a chicken yard, with bird-brains enforcing the pecking order. And inevitably, when confronted, those responsible refuse to be accountable.
With the greatest gifts and freedoms come the greatest responsibilities. You can't have and enjoy a right without accepting the responsibility that goes with it. Neither Nature nor the Laws of Man allow it to be otherwise.
Consider the gift of free speech that came to you by Nature, which has been preserved for you by the constant sacrifice of others, and which is daily under assault by those who would keep you from speaking at all. They would deny you your voice, or force it to serve their ends, without a second glance.
Treasure your right to free speech and make it count for something good; make it accountable to the truth, worthy of respect, and wisely used.
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