Freedom of speech is not defined by any individual

All the rancorous discussion about freedom of speech is new in the last decade or so. That such rancor and terrible statements are being made reflects poorly on our American society. The poorness may be because of the poor education of the offenders, or the dominance of ego and emotion over self-restraint and respect for improving our society. In other words, the method of political discourse is as important as the ideas debated, and some seem to have lost this so new world American idea.

The silly part is to hear, again and again, that one should not object to any individual or groups conduct or rules because they are using their free speech rights. The classic friction of individual rights compared to group rights comes up, again. If taken to an extreme, which seems to be the route we are on today in the USA, then we have a formula for inaction and anarchy.

This possibility has always been around. Even our far ancestors adopted the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 to ensure order trumped chaos. Even in the last century it was taken as gospel that one cannot use the free speech idea to cry fire in a theater. There are group imposed limits as well as individual imposed limits to maintain American good order and discipline. Now it appears things are getting out of hand again, and some knee-jerk reaction will be what it takes to bring things back into balance. If this comes to pass, is it the offenders or offendees that are the catalyst for the most obvious need to maintain an orderly society?

A key point is that the free speech advocates seem to need to be checked. If checking them means some new version of a 1798 law, or more recent campaign finance laws or hate speech laws, well that is where they are leading. Maybe all will it take is prosecuting the laws we already have on this subject, (since the problem is not new). What a shame, because it does not have to end up like this. As in many other cases in America today, it is time for adults to step in and take charge.