The Skinny

Freedom of speech, one of the things we are all guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. It is right there in the First Amendment, along with freedom of the press, freedom to assemble, freedom to practice any religion, and freedom to petition the government for redress or grievances. My main focus, though, is freedom of speech. As someone who writes for a newspaper and understands how important the First Amendment is to the news media and the like, sometimes I hear things and just wonder "Can people really say that?" Then I remember, yes they can. They have the right to say whatever they want. They are protected by the First Amendment.

Should the First Amendment protect hate speech though? Now, I believe that all people have the right to say whatever they want and are entitled to their own opinions. I may not agree with everything they are saying, but I'm not going to try and ban what they are saying either. I know not everyone agrees with what I say, but I wouldn't expect them to try and censor my speech.

The reason I am bringing this up is because of a certain Oklahoma lawmaker. Representative Sally Kern serves in the Oklahoma legislature and she went on an anti-gay rant this past weekend. She really didn't say anything that I had never heard before. She did have a few one liners though that I couldn't help but share with you.

One of the first things to come out of her mouth was, "Not everybody's lifestyle is equal, just like not all religions are equal." Oh really? What religions might she be talking about? She's a Baptist. Her husband is a pastor in a Baptist church. Is she telling me that Judaism and Islam are not equal to Christianity, specifically Baptists?

She also says that the "Homosexual agenda is destroying this nation." Exactly, I have an agenda and it is to bring down the United States and transition it from a democracy to a gayocracy. We gays will rule the world. On a side note, who told her about the gay agenda? They better watch out for the gay mafia because when they find out who did, they are in for a beat down.

I was thinking to myself, she cannot be serious? Oh but she most certainly is. She does say that she is "not anti, not gay bashing, but according to God's word that is not the right kind of lifestyle." What lifestyle is she talking about? The gay lifestyle blown way out of proportion on television for entertainment value? Last time I checked, I was a college student just trying to get an education to help better myself and my future.

She then goes on to say, "Studies show that no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than, you know, a few decades." Excuse me? What studies has she been reading? And what organizations funded those studies? I'm not denying that there probably have been studies done on how homosexuality will cause the fall of humanity, but really?

According to her, she thinks homosexuality is "the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam." When did Islam become a threat? Not all Muslims are terrorists, and not all terrorists are Muslim. The ones that are, are the fundamentalists. I have friends who are practicing Muslims and they don't believe the same things the fundamentalists believe.

I can see why she would think homosexuals are the biggest threat this nation has. Homosexuals caused 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the tsunami of 2004. Or that's what some people of this nation believe. I thought the tsunami was caused by an earthquake that occurred beneath the Indian Ocean. I guess I was wrong.

She also has a problem with schools teaching about acceptance and tolerance of homosexuality. I know that being accepting or tolerant of other people's ideas, faith, or lifestyle is asking too much of people. I'm tolerating her complete ignorance, do I win a prize?

I do understand that there is a difference between accepting someone and tolerating them. But is it so wrong to teach kids about everyone that lives in society? Why exclude one group?

Oh and did you hear that gays are being elected to public office? She did, and she is not happy about it. She said "they are infiltrating our city councils." Infiltrating? There is no gay military plan. The gay mafia is not thinking up some elaborate scheme to take over working from the bottom to the top. See what I did there.

Maybe people just want someone who they feel will represent them the best. Does it really matter if they are gay? The people who elected her were confident in her ability to represent them to the fullest. Some may be second guessing that now.

Sally Kern is not the first person, and she won't be the last, to make these statements. She just didn't plan on anyone recording her when she made these statements. I have already said that I support peoples' right to free speech. She exercised it. I don't agree with anything that came out of her mouth, but she was expressing that right like any other American would. I can only hope that people stop and think for a second, and not to let people like her dictate what is right and wrong in America.probably have been studies done on how homosexuality will cause the fall of humanity, but really?

According to her, she thinks homosexuality is "the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam." When did Islam become a threat? Not all Muslims are terrorists, and not all terrorists are Muslim. The ones that are, are the fundamentalists. I have friends who are practicing Muslims and they don't believe the same things the fundamentalists believe.

I can see why she would think homosexuals are the biggest threat this nation has. Homosexuals caused 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the tsunami of 2004. Or that's what some people of this nation believe. I thought the tsunami was caused by an earthquake that occurred beneath the Indian Ocean. I guess I was wrong.