The Responsibility of Being Free…

Johnny-on-the-Spot … by John Foster

The Constitution of the United States was signed on September 17th, 1787.

Some 4 years later, on December 15th, 1791, the first ten amendments to the Constitution (Bill of Rights) were ratified by the states.

Amendment 1 referred to the freedom of religion, speech, and the press, rights of assembly and petition.

It states, “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 to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”.

I’d like to focus on the portion addressing the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press.

Years ago, in American government class, our teacher told us that freedom of speech didn’t mean you could rush into a crowded theatre and yell, “Fire!”

Former Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, Presbyterian minister Peter Marshall is quoted as saying, “May we think of freedom, not as a right to do as we please but as the opportunity to do what is right”.

The ability to speak freely has never been greater with the advent of all our modern communication options.

But that access has also given voice to individuals with devious wishes or ignorance of facts.

We hear talk of eliminating certain elements on the internet or other means available to the masses today.

The “Father of our country”, George Washington told us long ago “We should be very cautious not to violate the rights of conscience in others” while political activist and revolutionary Thomas Paine stated, “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it”.

No one ever said this “freedom-thing’ was gonna be easy!

That’s probably why American writer William Falkner said, “We must be free not because we claim freedom but because we practice it”.

Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge has a “Bill of Responsibilities” for us.

The preamble states, “Freedom and responsibility are mutual and inseparable. We can ensure enjoyment of the one by exercising the other. Freedom for all of us depends on responsibility by each of us. To secure and expand our liberties, therefore, we accept these responsibilities as individual members of a free society.”.

The first of ten statements tells us “To be fully responsible for our own actions and for the consequences of those actions.”

That seems to be the issue before us in this nation today.

It’s too bad we can’t legislate common sense or morality.

Oh, there have been attempts but unless there’s some basic buy-in to the concepts, they will fail.

I’ve bemoaned the efforts (or lack thereof) of the modern media to take the Jack Webb of “Dragnet” fame approach to reporting.

Sergeant Joe Friday, when investigating a case, would say, “Just the facts, ma’am.”

There’s nothing wrong with reporters having opinions, but not when reporting.

The once “most trusted man in America”, Walter Cronkite would report the news but would often give his opinion but only after it was clear, on the screen with signage and a different camera shot, that this was Walter with his thoughts or feelings and not necessarily the news.

With more information choices that means we have more choices to make.

Ultimately, it’s probably better that way but not if we don’t sample more from the smorgasbord of information before making our minds up.

Oh well, it’s not my problem.

Somebody else will, take care of it.

As Lee Corso would say, “Ah, not so fact my friend!”

It was Abraham Lincoln who said, “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”

Now more than ever we need responsible citizens in this country to step up and get things done.

I’d hate to think that this nation of ours is nothing more than a loaded, powerless container ship trying to navigate the Baltimore harbor.

You saw how that affected the Francis Scott Key Bridge.