Double Standard of Free Speech

I had the opportunity of having an online debate with members on another website this past week. Let me get a few things straight upfront:

First, let me be very straight forward on saying that the debate was about a NOH8 Campaign (http://www.noh8campaign.com) public service announcement and the hotly debated California’s Proposition 8.

Secondly, let me be very straight forward that I don’t know the ages of the individuals I was debating against. I asked that at the beginning of the discussion and never received a response.

Thirdly, let be very straight forward that I debated two things and two things only during this debate: 1) That marriage is not a right; it is a privilege, and 2) The Laws of Nature.

Now you’re probably interested to know where this debate took place. Well, in all honesty it took place on a Blink-182 fan website (http://www.182online.com). Right now many of you are thinking or saying out load, “Tony! Why did you waste your time on a punk rock band’s website debating Proposition 8?” I like to try to set certain things straight when it comes to Proposition 8 and the so-called “marriage right.”

You can view the full debate on the 182-Online Debate Forum at:
http://www.182online.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3570

Here is the NOH8 PSA that sparked this whole debate and I have taken the time to provide a transcript of this ad.

NOH8 PSA – “I’m Coming Out…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7KUENa4OrQ

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Woman 1: I'm coming out.

Male 1: I'm coming out.

Woman 2 and Male 2: We're coming out for equal rights.

Woman 3: Denying a minority the same rights you were born with...

Woman 4: Is hate.

Male 3: Refusing to separate church and state...

Woman 5: Is hate.

Woman 6: Spending millions to eliminate someone's right to family...

Woman 7: Is hate.

Woman 2: Prop 8 is just the beginning.

Male 4: Our fight goes deeper then marriage equality.

Woman 4: It's about human right.

Woman 3: Same rights for every America in every State.

Woman 8: Thousands all over the country are speaking out.

Male 2: But it's not enough.

Woman 4: Now more then ever it is time to get involved.

Woman 9: That's where you come in.

Woman 1: Start a dialogue.

Woman 6: Stand up for your peers.

Woman 8: Get educated.

Woman 3: Keep an open mind.

Male 5: Talk to your friends.

Male 4: Talk to your family.

Woman 7: Write your representative.

Woman 5: Be heard.

Woman 9: No matter where you are.

Woman 2: Tell them who you are.

Woman 1: Tell them what you stand for.

Several: Fight, fight for equal rights, equal rights. And together, together we can make our voices heard. No hate, no hate, no hate.

Announcer: Learn more about how you can be heard through our silent protest at www.noh8campaign.com

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I would like you to note that I am not against the NOH8 Campaign's right, yes, right, to the First Amendment - The Freedom of Speech and of the Press. This isn't what I argued in this debate. I argued two things in this debate at 182-Online: 1) The so-called "marriage right", and 2) Laws of Nature.

I will not bore you with details to that debate. If you'd like you can follow the link above and read the debate for yourself.

What sparked my interest in this advertisement is several things:

1) Six times in the first part of this ad the word "right" was used.

2) Nine times it mentions about speaking out, start a dialogue, talk, write, and be heard.

Well, if there is a fight for "equal rights" why then the very ad these individuals were defending did they say this (please forgive the language):

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* "FUCK THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AGAINST GAY MARRIAGE, ITS NOT YOUR LIFE, ITS THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET MARRIED. Sorry for the caps, but honestly, people who are against gay marriage...just piss me the fuck off."

* "i mean really, it's all preference. everyone has their own rights. just keep it private (that's my opinion)"

* "I advise you to educate yourself before you come on here and start a debate on such a topic."

* "None of your points have made an impact on me, and it just makes me push farther to voice my opinion for gay marriage and eradicate the intolerance against it. I don't even think you understand what it means. Your points are strongly biased, and clearly you're not supportive of their lifestyle. There's essentially no point of debating this further for me."

* "Charles A. Hole, you are wrong, you are a bigot, you are wrong, your views are totally wrong, thats it, thats all there is to it."

* "stop beating around the bush A. Hole, sorry, A. Hall, either your pro gay marriage, or your not, which is it?"

* "Holy shit batman! Charles, you are fucking retarded in every sense of the god damn word. Everyone stop replying to this non sense, he is not looking for a debate. He's just trolling."

* "My suggestion is that you keep your opinions to yourself or just to your website."

* "Jimmy he is your brother so you are instantly biased....obviously he can defend himself and his views on his own, so don't be all like "Oh you guys are all hypocrites" STFU"

* "It was discussed for four pages, so it's not like we silenced anyone." (See several comments above about wanting to silence the debate and me.)

* "The words "go fuck yourself asshole" come to mind."

* "...therefore your a dumbshit, you cant make up your own mind so you live your life by a made up story book, your an idiot."

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What shocks me is that there is such a Double Standard of Free Speech in the United States of America as shown above.

Right now there are Town Halls happening all over the United States about Nationalized Health Care (AKA ObamaCare) and people are protesting the bill (HR 3200 is just one of them). Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) have called these people "un-American." The Democratic National Committee have called these people "The Right-wing Extremist Mob."

I spoke out on this NOH8 Campaign PSA and I was met with some debate, but was mainly attacked on the grounds everything I was "supposedly" saying was religious when in fact I never said anything about religion because I learned that lesson when I was a senior at Sequim High School.

There is a double standard to Freedom of Speech in America and it is ridiculous! If you have an issue you want to present you should expect that the opposite view will come about. Don't say that you are being denied a right that doesn't exist and then turn around and deny someone their actual right of free speech (i.e. "My suggestion is that you keep your opinions to yourself or just to your website.").

I want to speak out against Nationalized Health Care (AKA ObamaCare) and I am "un-America."

I want to speak out against this so-called "right" to marriage and I am displaying "hate."

Where does it end? Why is it only one sided? Why is it that if they (Pelosi and NOH8) speak out that is okay and when I speak out with an opposite view I'm "un-American" and a "hater" of Americans. Why? Why? Why?

There is a Double Standard to Free Speech in America and it is one-sided those like Pelosi and NOH8 Campaign it is okay, but those on the other side should be silenced.

I went to bed last night (Sunday, 23 August 2009) very sad, on the verge of breaking down and crying because of what I'm seeing in America (ask my wife!). A country divided when our current President Barack Hussein Obama (ON THE RECORD: I didn't vote for him.) promised to "unite" the country but has done nothing but further divide it through Cap and Trade and now through Nationalized Health Care. I am feeling depressed and sad on what I am seeing. But you know what? Since I am a Conservative and from the other side of the fence I should be denied my First Amendment RIGHT - The Right to Free Speech.

Yes, I'm sorry but when someone says "My suggestion is that you keep your opinions to yourself or just to your website" is an attack on my Freedom of Speech, whether you agree with me or not.

There is a Double Standard of Free Speech in America and it is just shocking...