What The Freedom Of Speech Means To Me

    So fair warning this is going to be a political themed entry though I'm going to try and keep it mainly personal in relation to me. You have been warned, read in at your own risk. And these are a little longer than what I have been posting I freely admit.

    So I was going through my social media sites this morning and a common theme kept popping up, and that was, The Freedom Of Speech. So it got me thinking what does that really mean to me? I mean we all claim it and say we have it many times in our life, but what does it really mean to each of us personally. Little side note I will probably cover other rights in the future as well, but I will try not to clump them all together as one big blob of blog entries to digest all at once. So now the next question is where to start on such a big topic?

    Well right here with this blog is probably the best place to start since it's right where we are. For me "the freedom of speech" applies to this blog in the sense that I can say anything I want on this blog. As long as I'm not calling for harm to others, full out rebellion, or some other illegal action directly, there is nothing the government can do to me if they disagree with my views other than post a comment saying they do. Well they could also write me a letter politely asking to post their view or asking me to take it down, but nothing that forces me to do either of those things. And I enjoy that freedom, but I also try to use it wisely as well. I know I'm not impartial, but I try to think before I start typing. Before I post a blog I write it out free writing style, then I go through it and reread it editing it as I go. I also think about is that the right way to put something or a fair characterization of something in my opinion as I'm editing as well. And if I'm proven wrong I'll gladly post a retraction on something like any good blogger should do in my opinion, but that is what it is my opinion. Everyone has one, and I don't agree with everyone I freely admit that.

    But that is why debates and forums were created I believe. To share ideas and let people's minds be changed or solidified on an idea. Right now people are so polarized that these things just turn into name calling fests instead of constructive events. Don't believe me just looks at the comment sections in the news sections of your favorite news site for current events in the world. Or even look at a current even on Facebook or Google Plus and see what happens. To bring it back on track a bit those people too are protected by freedom of speech. But there employer might see it and decide to fire them or penalize them and that is not protected under "freedom of speech" from happening. Well unless there employer is the government maybe.

    Now this fact I don't agree with even though it has caused problems for some people whose views I don't agree with. But the reason I don't agree with it is, because what it means is that your boss can now control what you do on your time off from work on social media. It was established during the industrial revolution when working conditions were improved that time off was time off and not to be used for extra work not paid for by management to be done by the worker. But now that social media has come along companies are using it to snoop on their workers private lives and political views to make sure they are in line with them. Now this is a violation of The Right To Privacy, which I will cover another time. But it also has made a lot of people cower from their companies, and censor themselves from using their right to free speech since they are not at this time protected from their employers if they object to their views. The only time I think you should be punished for something you do on social media concerning work is when you use it when you are supposed to be working. Otherwise as long as you use it when you are off the clock that is your personal space to say what you want, and post what you want. As long as you are not someplace representing the company where what you say is being taken as what the company's views are then there should be no punishment. I might forget that I think that way sometimes in the heat of a situation, but it is how it should be and we need some legislation to make it that way. Workers are losing their social lives and freedoms in their social lives cause of companies forcing their way into their social media.

    So how does that relate to me and my views on the freedom of speech you are probably wondering? Well I will probably be considered a renegade in my lifetime, as well as a risk taker in the workplace. Cause I refuse to censor myself on any social media. I'll always be who I am at heart here and everywhere online. Which means I might need a few smacks upside the head now and then, but overall it's a good thing I think. And yes this means it may cost me a job here and there. It might cost me a publishing deal. But if I can't be me and can't be honest with my fans then is it really worth it. Don't get me wrong I want the money, but I'm not willing to sell my soul for it. I'm not saying some have. I just think they have lost the edge they used to have as teenagers in younger generations, and that these younger generations overall don't have the fight that previous generations have. Don't get me wrong I've seen sparks of it, but I haven't seen the roar of the flames I saw in the younger generations in the history books and in my generation.

    I swear I started today's blog meaning to stick to a straight and narrow line of the freedom of speech, but somehow it has gotten sidetracked a bit because of how it interacts within my life in a sense. I'm a writer so I can never shut up when it comes to writing. Though sometimes I let things simmer till they come to a boil and are just right to put down to paper. Seems a lot of things were at a boil today. But the freedom of speech is important to me because it allows me to say all of it without any censorship. Sure there are certain things you can't do with your speech for safety or legal reasons. But most of them are common sense things from what I've read about. I think it is fundamentally important to be able to express yourself whether you are an artist or an author or even just a protestor on the street.

    So hopefully this gives you an idea of what the freedom of speech means to me, and if not let me know in the comments below. I hope you enjoyed this post despite it being so political and that you have a good day or night depending on when you read this. Bye for now.