Re: The Freedom To Say This Is Unacceptable

Wow, I am amazed at the passionate responses this article received… it certainly ruffled some feathers… thank you for all of your words (whether I agree with them or not)… but let me address one point that seems to have been grossly misunderstood:

For those saying that my article implies limiting our FREEDOM OF SPEECH, you couldn’t be more wrong; and you have missed the very reason for such a piece. Just as this artist has used his FREEDOM OF SPEECH to create (in my opinion) filth, I have used my FREEDOM TO SPEAK out loud to call it for what I believe it is… a total piece of crap… I am exercising MY freedom to say, “This, is unacceptable.”

Where in my article did I say that the artist doesn’t have the right or that we should censor this freedom? I didn’t. There is no veil or subliminal intent to rouse people to censor our speech… I am simply saying that I was outraged at the object that was created and couldn’t believe that NOTHING had been said about it as being a disgraceful, disgusting, and deliberate display of hate and ridicule. Why hadn’t someone said something? As I said, had the image been made of Obama, there would have been news articles and riots in the streets! – That is not an overstatement… it is the truth.

My comment about 9-11 was to reinforce in our minds that we have far more important things to worry about than political discord. The artist’s flippant remark about “no one was maimed, killed, overthrown, etc.” shows his ignorance of the fact that we do have a real enemy, and if we continue to be a “house divided” we will drain our strength in unity to defend ourselves. Republican or Democrat, black, white, yellow, brown, red… whatever our differences, we are Americans, and we all must work together to keep our freedoms.

I would not advocate ANY ban or censorship on FREEDOM OF SPEECH – I never mentioned taking away that freedom or limiting it in any way… Yes, the artist has the right and freedom of speech to make such an object… and Yes, I have the right and freedom of speech to say what I think about it! My family has fought for that very right, and I will continue to uphold it and defend it.