2008 Woodie Awards
R.I.P, First Amendment
Tony Clark
Issue date: 3/13/08 Section: Opinion
It has come to my attention that "freedom of speech" may be dead or at least on life support.
Recent online news articles have questioned the patriotism of Sen. Barack Obama and his wife Michelle. The time when patriotism should be questioned is when Americans start bombing government buildings that house day care facilities or when they bomb a church during Sunday School, not when a senator does something inconsequential.
A recent comment from Michelle Obama, made in Milwaukee, Wis., seems to have angered some conservatives. "For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country," she said.
This personal expression has made some conservatives sound the alarm. They appear confused with the comment; maybe if they knew about the four little girls killed by a bomb while they attended Sunday School or the 19 children killed when the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building exploded they would understand.
Obama's transgression seems to be he does not have an American flag on his lapel and does not place his hand over his heart during the National Anthem. Some men at baseball games do not take their caps off nor do they place their hands over their hearts during the National Anthem yet photographs of these gentlemen will not appear in the newspaper, on television or on the Internet. Their patriotism will not and should not come into question, so why does Sen. Obama's?
The First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law…abridging freedom of speech…" People need to realize that this also applies to whether an individual chooses to place their hand over their heart or wear the American flag on their lapel.
Recent online news articles have questioned the patriotism of Sen. Barack Obama and his wife Michelle. The time when patriotism should be questioned is when Americans start bombing government buildings that house day care facilities or when they bomb a church during Sunday School, not when a senator does something inconsequential.
A recent comment from Michelle Obama, made in Milwaukee, Wis., seems to have angered some conservatives. "For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country," she said.
This personal expression has made some conservatives sound the alarm. They appear confused with the comment; maybe if they knew about the four little girls killed by a bomb while they attended Sunday School or the 19 children killed when the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building exploded they would understand.
Obama's transgression seems to be he does not have an American flag on his lapel and does not place his hand over his heart during the National Anthem. Some men at baseball games do not take their caps off nor do they place their hands over their hearts during the National Anthem yet photographs of these gentlemen will not appear in the newspaper, on television or on the Internet. Their patriotism will not and should not come into question, so why does Sen. Obama's?
The First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law…abridging freedom of speech…" People need to realize that this also applies to whether an individual chooses to place their hand over their heart or wear the American flag on their lapel.
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