In an interview on a conservative radio show Friday morning on WMAL-AM, a Washington D.C. station, Sarah Palin indicated that she felt that criticism from the press was threatening to violate her First Amendment rights.
She said: “If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations then I don’t know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media.”
Really? When a candidate makes a statement that is factually incorrect…I try to present the facts. When a candidate makes a statement where his or her conclusions are logically unsound…I try to analyze and show the flaws in the reasoning. But…when a candidate makes a statement that so clearly shows a lack of understanding regarding the Constitution of the United States, the document which guarantees our essential rights, freedoms, and protections…well, to be honest, I’m not sure how to proceed.
Well, here’s a start…the First Amendment of the Constitution 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 peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
When I was a high school teacher, my students were receiving their first real instruction in the Constitution. They often had trouble understanding the Freedom of Speech, and I would be forced to make the following points:
1) The First Amendment does not guarantee, “the right to be listened to.” You may express yourself, but part of the reason this freedom “works” is because nobody has to listen to you. If we don’t like what someone says on TV…we should change the channel. If we don’t like what a writer has to say…we shouldn’t buy their books. And if we don’t like what an individual is expressing, we can ignore them…or simply walk away.
2) Similarly, the First Amendment does not guarantee, “the right to have one’s opinion respected.” When you exercise the Freedom of Speech…people may attack your opinions, or they may criticize you directly. That’s them, exercising THEIR freedom. I thought it was interesting when the Dixie Chicks caught so much heat for speaking out against Bush, they said it wasn’t right for some of their fans to protest them or stop buying their albums. They seemed to think that when they speak their opinions people are REQUIRED to respect them. No…that’s exactly what’s supposed to happen…that was their fans’ way of exercising THEIR rights. And that is why it is SO important when expressing your opinions to make sure that you have the facts to support what you is saying…THAT is how you help to ensure that you and your opinions are respected. And even that is not a guarantee…
3) Not all speech is protected. You can’t shout “fire” in a crowded theater, or incite a riot. You also have to be careful that what you say about a person is true…or you could face accusations of libel, slander, or defamation of character.
And in case Governor Palin missed that day in school, the very same amendment provides for the Freedom of the Press. The press is not only entitled to report and criticize our politicians and other government figures…it is required for them to be performing the essential mandate of the Fourth Estate. In other words, the First Amendment was not written to protect the government from the press…it was written to protect the press from the government. She has been given her right and she has exercised it by speaking her mind about Barack Obama…now the press gets to exercise its right in describing her statements. Since she has chosen to make ad hominem, negative, guilt-by-association attacks on Obama’s character…she is not entitled to be surprised that the press has reported the attacks as being just these things.
Whoever wins this election will take an oath to uphold and defend the Consititution…it will be one of the most important acts that he or she will perform. I am discouraged that for at least one candidate…she may not even know what that entails.