How Free is Free Speech?

Every remaining candidate vying for the top spot in the White House has found him or herself defending comments that have come from their respective camps. These comments have challenged another candidate’s service record, questioned religious affiliation, debated a candidate’s ability to successfully complete a presidential term because of age, sparked arguments regarding race and gender, and a few comments have led to name-calling. As a result of many of these very controversial comments, some members of these camps have stepped down from their post, which brings about the question, “How free is free speech?”

Some things are often taken out of context or misinterpreted. In other cases, a person’s words are twisted and turned for personal gain. But what about the instances where a person vehemently stands behind what is said? Let me attempt to examine Geraldine Ferraro’s comment about Barack Obama. Ferraro is a former teacher, lawyer and is probably best known for her 1984 vice presidential bid with presidential candidate Walter Mondale. She became the first and only female vice presidential candidate to date. Ferraro worked on Hillary Clinton’s campaign until several days ago when she tendered her resignation amid comments she made that yielded racist allegations.

According to CNN, Ferraro said, "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman [of any color] he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."
Whether contextually misunderstood or not, there is something fundamentally inappropriate about such a statement, particularly from a former vice presidential candidate. Quite honestly, I can, to some degree, understand what she could have meant that would probably not be considered racially motivated. Would I have played a race card, probably not, but I’m not the person requiring justification.

On the other side of the coin, Samantha Power, a former Obama advisor commented about Hillary Clinton, “She is a monster, too—that is off the record—she is stooping to anything.” Her comment could have been (and was by some) taken with a great deal of malevolent thought and intent. For a staffer of a presidential candidate to refer to the opposition as a “monster” is incomprehensible. Coincidentally, Power is also an attorney, law professor and Pulitzer Prize winning author. Does this suggest that she should have known not to make such a statement? In her case, maybe, considering her mid-statement point, “…that is off the record”.

Interestingly, these types of derogatory comments are not limited to presidential elections or candidates—it goes on year-round. Black conservatives accused Julian Bond, Chairman of the Board for the NAACP, of referring to Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell as “tokens”; Don Imus, noted syndicated talk show host called the Rutgers Women’s basketball team as “nappy headed hoes”; even Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable (Dr. William “Bill” Cosby) commented about some blacks, where he stated, “Your dirty laundry gets out of school at 2:30 every day, it's cursing and calling each other [the N-word] as they're walking up and down the street. They think they're hip. They can't read. They can't write. They're laughing and giggling, and they're going nowhere."

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution grants us all freedom of speech by the mere virtue of being U.S. citizens. What this amendment does not state is the simultaneous right to confute any comment, whereby one would use the same constitutional right. In other words, we have the right to make comments and at the same time publically disagree with someone else’s. But where is or should the line be drawn for free speech?

The line to cross in terms of free speech is quite arbitrary making it very difficult for individuals to conform based on their position within society. Anyone making the aforementioned statements would fall under heavy scrutiny. However, those quoted have received even greater scrutinous back lashing simply because of the roles they have been granted within the social structure. Not everyone can and will understand the contexts of statements, even when they are apparently clear.

The bottom line is, when one speaks, he or she must be ready and willing to defend a position. Coupled with that, awareness of place, time, audience and who you are as the actor are of utmost importance. The irony is, free speech is not free at all—we always end-up paying for what we say in one way or another, no matter the cost. © Keydron Guinn 2008