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Some of the things we, as Americans, hold most dear are our "unalienable rights" granted by God and enshrined in the first ten amendments to the Constitution. Of late we have witnessed many events that seems to indicate that our rights and freedoms are not only under assault, but have been eradicated entirely.
Our justice system has taken a back seat to the court of public opinion. In the age of instant notifications, social media, and a news complex more interested in ratings than accuracy peoples lives are being destroyed by negative backlash for anything and everything they have said or done. It may have been posted by them personally or by a second or third party capturing a snippet of the event and posting it without context. And this is just addressing free speech. The onslaught against our 2A rights, privacy, and religion are in full swing. The enemies of freedom do not rest.
Situation: You, as a private individual, post something to your FB wall. A personal opinion regarding a controversial topic. Your FB page does not identify you as an employee of X company- it's your personal page. Your comment was set to "friends only" distribution. Your comment was unappreciated by one or more of your FB friends.
Question 1: Does your employer have the right to terminate your employment based on your personal opinion being stated on a personal site among friends if they were to find out?
Question 2: Have we, as a society, given away our unalienable rights in favor of being able to cause harm to someone else's life or livelihood? Does our intolerance of someone else exercising their right to free speech justify ruining their life? "Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye..." - Jesus Christ ca. 30 a.d.
Our justice system has taken a back seat to the court of public opinion. In the age of instant notifications, social media, and a news complex more interested in ratings than accuracy peoples lives are being destroyed by negative backlash for anything and everything they have said or done. It may have been posted by them personally or by a second or third party capturing a snippet of the event and posting it without context. And this is just addressing free speech. The onslaught against our 2A rights, privacy, and religion are in full swing. The enemies of freedom do not rest.
Situation: You, as a private individual, post something to your FB wall. A personal opinion regarding a controversial topic. Your FB page does not identify you as an employee of X company- it's your personal page. Your comment was set to "friends only" distribution. Your comment was unappreciated by one or more of your FB friends.
Question 1: Does your employer have the right to terminate your employment based on your personal opinion being stated on a personal site among friends if they were to find out?
Question 2: Have we, as a society, given away our unalienable rights in favor of being able to cause harm to someone else's life or livelihood? Does our intolerance of someone else exercising their right to free speech justify ruining their life? "Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye..." - Jesus Christ ca. 30 a.d.
Politics
Constitution
Freedom
Bill of Rights
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 10
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I like your Facebook analogy. I've heard of potential employers asking for a potential employee's Facebook password but I've never seen it myself nor do I personally know anyone it's happened to. If it ever did, I'd get up and leave AFTER I told the person interviewing me that's a clear-cut violation of the Fourth Amendment.
I also have a saying that I like to live by. The Second Amendment is for the times when your other inalienable rights are being threatened.
I also have a saying that I like to live by. The Second Amendment is for the times when your other inalienable rights are being threatened.
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I think the court of public opinion has gotten out of hand. We shame people for exercising their rights, but celebrate things of questionable import and morality to show how "enlightened" we are.
There is a fine line between enlightenment and decadence. The tipping point is when the core values of your culture come into question or change. There are examples througout history of this social change leading to the downfall of once great civilizations.
I think we are in very grave danger of crossing that tipping point. It has become trendy to criticize mainstream and/or traditional beliefs and behavior. It is even trendier to honor the "courage" of someone who stands on a pedestal and screams "look at me! I'm so different!" Anyone who disapproves is publicly shamed, called every name in the book, and marginalized.
I think that freedom of speech means you can say whatever you want. It does not mean you are free from being offended. You have freedom of speech, not freedom from it. Substitute in religion, due process, bearing arms, and you will see where the framers meant.
If you are foolish enough to post on facebook thoughts that disparage your workplace, you will reap the whirlwind. Even worse, since your words linger in the ether, it could haunt you for years. Find a different forum.
As a boss, I would ask you what you have done to make your workplace better. If it is nothing, then you are a troublemaker, not part of the solution. If you have ideas, share them in a positive way and see if you can affect change.
The very heart of our nation is the Constitution. When we try to find reasons to give up our freedoms or take them away from others, we are not the United States of America anymore. To paraphase Thomas Jefferson (I think), anyone who will give up liberty for security will deserve neither.
There is a fine line between enlightenment and decadence. The tipping point is when the core values of your culture come into question or change. There are examples througout history of this social change leading to the downfall of once great civilizations.
I think we are in very grave danger of crossing that tipping point. It has become trendy to criticize mainstream and/or traditional beliefs and behavior. It is even trendier to honor the "courage" of someone who stands on a pedestal and screams "look at me! I'm so different!" Anyone who disapproves is publicly shamed, called every name in the book, and marginalized.
I think that freedom of speech means you can say whatever you want. It does not mean you are free from being offended. You have freedom of speech, not freedom from it. Substitute in religion, due process, bearing arms, and you will see where the framers meant.
If you are foolish enough to post on facebook thoughts that disparage your workplace, you will reap the whirlwind. Even worse, since your words linger in the ether, it could haunt you for years. Find a different forum.
As a boss, I would ask you what you have done to make your workplace better. If it is nothing, then you are a troublemaker, not part of the solution. If you have ideas, share them in a positive way and see if you can affect change.
The very heart of our nation is the Constitution. When we try to find reasons to give up our freedoms or take them away from others, we are not the United States of America anymore. To paraphase Thomas Jefferson (I think), anyone who will give up liberty for security will deserve neither.
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The Bill of rights is dead only if we allow it to be dead. Whether it's refusing to allow my daughter to take evolution in school or my right to fly different flags, or my right to bear arms, or freedom of speech, I choose to stand my ground and not be bullied. So it's not dead, but it will be if people don't quit cowering down. Get a backbone and stand your ground. I find bullies back off when you push back and I am a firm believer in pushing back.
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