There are always consequences. What is said is not just about what is said. Language is also what is not said, when it is said, how it is said ... or not said. :-) It has to be embedded in some context, otherwise the sounds that make words will be familiar to the ear but the brain will disregard the message as nonsense. It's even difficult for judges of this nation to decide what speech is protected. We shouldn't think for a second that we know what freedom of speech is. For starters here's an educational resource. This article, from the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement highlights the issue as they contemplate banning hate speech.
If you read any sort of news I'm sure you are aware why this has been on my mind.
I think "free speech" is a misnomer. From my experience there are very few things that are free. It's complicated. Semantics aside, not everything you say will be protected under the law. You can't just say whatever you want, where you want.
With freedom comes responsibility. Civil law aside, when you choose to speak as a -- forgive me for using such a broad, non-specific, blanket label -- Christian, as many claim to be who support and share Dan Cathy's, Mike Huckabee's, and many others' literal views on the Bible and marriage, and especially on certain polarizing topics, you have a responsibility to the human race, as a Christian. I think you have a responsibility to speak intellectually, with specificity, without judgement, and with love, as in Matthew 22:39.
What's funny is that Christianity doesn't have the only claim to teachings like this. So, Christian and non-Christian, which pretty much covers everyone, but just for fun I'll continue -- atheist and God fearing, liberal and conservative, gay and heterosexual, boy and girl, adult and child, English speaking and non-English speaking, democrat and republican, homeless and home buyer, layman and intellectual, rich and poor, etc. -- too much of what we say, how we say it, where we say it, and who we say it to is not aligned with that fundamental moral code, as illustrated in this article. Too much talk appears to be hateful, 'us' versus 'them', idealogical.
What's embarrassing is not that Dan Cathy made a public statement bridging his personal values to his business practices, it's that people (Mike Huckabee and GLAAD leaders, and consequently their followers) are using that to catalyze a polarizing argument that entertains and does little to help. The brain loves to make groups. It appears neat and tidy that way. The brain has a much harder time embracing AND because it's more complex. I'm an LDS (a.k.a Mormon) Christian AND Democrat who supports social justice in various ways, i.e. equal marriage, education. I'm a public school teacher AND I think home-schooling is a great option. I'm health conscious AND love sugar. I don't smoke pot AND I think it should be prescribed AND hemp should be legal to grow in the U.S. I hate fast-food AND I eat it. I support free speech AND I don't support divisive, disrespectful, or hateful speech.
My point is each of us is more than one ideal, and sometimes it appears contradictory ... like Chick-fil-A employees who are gay. People need jobs. Don't clump them into your small-minded views. They are human, too. It's irritating people give in to the so called "culture war" and eat at or boycott Chick-fil-A because it's anti-gay. The idea is limiting to our potential individually and collectively.
And remember, your right to freedom of speech has consequences. Make sure what you say will yield consequences that align to the principles by which you claim to live.
A friend of mine just sent me this link where she communicates well about this Chick-fil-A thing. I think she says a lot of what I have been thinking, only better.
1 comment:
Like you I don't have a problem with the owner of Chick-Fil-A communicating his opinion and sharing his money as he chooses. I don't have a problem with people choosing to either spend their money or not as a form of political communication. I do have a problem with reports of how Chick-Fil-A costumers chose to communicate about marriage and families. Unkind and hateful things were said. As a member of the LDS church I worry about the direction we've taken in terms of interacting with our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. It has been determined that approximately 10 percent of the population is LGBTQ. The national average of LGBTQ teens who are homeless is 20 percent. Utah has an average of of 41 percent. I'm sure there are a number of reasons these teens are homeless, though I imagine that many were made to feel unwelcome in their homes. LGBTQ teens are five times more likely to commit suicide, and I've heard tell that the Utah has a high percentage of suicides in this demographic, though I would need to verify that info. Utah is 60% LDS. As a faith community we have so much growth to be made in our journey to be more like Christ. Church needs to become a safe place for people who don't fit the norm. I wish church members didn't make derisive/joking/teasing comments about gay/lesbians. I wish the Boy Scouts didn't exclude gay youth. I worry about the messages that children learned while standing in those lines to "support traditional marriage". Will those children think it is acceptable to bully/tease others for their orientation? Will those children think it's acceptable to bully/tease others for not conforming to societal norms? It has broken my heart to read about the many teens who have died by suicide in the last few years in part due to the way their peers/family treated them. What if any of those standing in line at Chick-Fil_A children are LGBTQ? Will they feel safe in their families. What are they learning about unconditional love? I wonder about other ways to support and honor families. I wonder about how we can better live the gospel of Christ. I hope my children know that I love them and I will love them in whatever path their life takes them to. A jumble of words I know.
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