The fun part of free speech | Dennis Box

Free speech is so much fun.

I received an email a couple of weeks ago concerning a sign in front of a business in Kent. The person sending the email was upset about the language on the sign.

That is the problem with free speech. It protects speech we dislike, disagree with and find offensive.

It’s easy to protect free speech we agree with and believe is correct, but protecting the talk of some guy we are pretty sure is a bonehead is much more challenging.

The First Amendment defines us as a people, as Americans, because it protects the worst in us.

It protects us from government suppression of speech. And I think it is important to remember, the government is not some ethereal group of guys in red robes and funny hats. They are us… and I don’t know many of us who wouldn’t at times suppress speech if we had a chance.

I have a daughter in college with a demon little dog named Yodie. They both think they are brainier than I am.

I can’t suppress Yodie’s dog speech much less my smarty-pants daughter’s talk, but there are days I would if I could.

I have seen numerous government groups try their best to quietly suppress opposition voices. Not because they are evil doers, but because they are us. The First Amendment protects us from ourselves.

And here is other side of this equation –  if we don’t participate in the process of governing it doesn’t add up.

The protection of the First Amendment is part of a much larger equation of public participation that defines  who we are and how we are governed.

Sometimes national issues and politicians suck up all the light in the room, but the work done on the Kent City Council, in City Hall, on the fire commission, hospital and school boards is the daily dose of government that touches each and every life in the city.

Political leaders at all levels do a better job if there is participation and debate. They may not love it and it may not peak their fun meter, but our government works better with talk on all sides of the equation.

Kent City Councilman Ron Harmon made an interesting comment recently. He said he made the best decisions when he walked in the other guy’s shoes. That is the essence of governing and the First Amendment – listening, hearing and comprehending. That doesn’t mean we have to agree, but it is a better system if all sides speak and at least act like they are listening.

To me, the responsibility of the First Amendment means newspapers telling the truth and presenting all sides. Telling the truth. It sounds easy. It is what we learned in kindergarten, but it can get complicated.

Last year I was covering a series of very contentious Valley Medical Center Board of Commissioners meetings. The board was split 3-2 with the minority members, Anthony Hemstad and Dr. Aaron Heide, stating some very unpopular opinions about executive compensation, the governing of the board and the inner workings of the hospital.

Several people approached me and said I should stop printing statements from Hemstad and Heide in the paper. The reason given was the health care service of the hospital was too important to the public to allow political speech like Heide’s and Hemstad’s.

Those suggesting I not print the minority statements were not bad people, they are very good people as are Hemstad, Heide and the other board members, Don Jacobson, Carolyn Parnell and Sue Bowman.

That is why all of us must pay attention to what the First Amendment means. The best of us can always find compelling reasons to suppress the speech we dislike and fear.

Memorial Day is a time to honor those who served and died. It may also be a time  to look at who we are as Americans. A time for those of us in the newspaper business to look at the responsibilities of the First Amendment. A time for all to consider the Constitution and what it means in our daily lives.

Telling the truth and listening; it was a lot easier in kindergarten.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.