The Town Hall Paradox
Stan Grimes
August 07, 2009
Everyone knows that First Amendment Rights allow for the freedom of speech and the freedom to practice one´s religion. We are seeing the right being used in the much publicized town hall meetings being organized around the country. Freedom of speech is necessary for a democracy to survive, but have we extended this freedom to the freedom to incite violence? Have we taken it too far?
The recent shouting and disruption of a town hall meeting in Tampa was a misstep by SEIU members as well as Republican followers. Blaming either group is a difficult call. Who knows what began what or who started what? The only thing to be learned from the incident is that shouting and fighting never works for town halls; although, it works quite well at football and hockey games.
A pattern appears to be developing now that Congress and the Senate are on recess. A town hall meeting is generally organized for citizens to attend and discuss "civilly" such issues as healthcare reform, tax rates, green energy, cap and trade, and other pressing difficulties our country is facing. They are not rock concerts or war zones.
However, one would not know that by watching the news. Apparently people are attending these town halls armed with anger, rudeness, ignorance, and a whole lot of signs, some of which are vile and nonproductive. It is obvious (at least to me) some of these folks are attending these events to incite disorder and deviant behavior. Not good.
Where does free speech end and disorderly conduct begin? What you and I are seeing on television is the act of free speech, but not free discussion. Would it not be more productive to have free and open discussion? Instead, we are having free and open havoc. What is accomplished? My view is that there´s a whole bunch of folks walking away from these town halls with the idea "We sure told those so-and-sos where the bear poops. But others I feel are walking away thinking, "we haven´t learned a darn thing."
My thoughts? Some mature individual from both parties ought to stand together and tell folks, "This isn´t the way to get things done." Will anybody do it? Probably not, you see both Republicans and Democrats are winning at the expense of a few radicals. The Democrats are sitting back and saying, "Look at the way those idiots are acting. We knew they were one-sided. On the other hand, Republicans are saying, "Those darn Democrats can´t even control a civil meeting. In the end the American people get hurt because just a small amount of our population can´t control their hatred, their seething distrust of our government, or their public behavor.
Are there one, maybe two politicians that will stand up and condemn this behavior? Just one or two, that´s all I´m asking. Uh, have I gone too far on this?
The recent shouting and disruption of a town hall meeting in Tampa was a misstep by SEIU members as well as Republican followers. Blaming either group is a difficult call. Who knows what began what or who started what? The only thing to be learned from the incident is that shouting and fighting never works for town halls; although, it works quite well at football and hockey games.
A pattern appears to be developing now that Congress and the Senate are on recess. A town hall meeting is generally organized for citizens to attend and discuss "civilly" such issues as healthcare reform, tax rates, green energy, cap and trade, and other pressing difficulties our country is facing. They are not rock concerts or war zones.
However, one would not know that by watching the news. Apparently people are attending these town halls armed with anger, rudeness, ignorance, and a whole lot of signs, some of which are vile and nonproductive. It is obvious (at least to me) some of these folks are attending these events to incite disorder and deviant behavior. Not good.
Where does free speech end and disorderly conduct begin? What you and I are seeing on television is the act of free speech, but not free discussion. Would it not be more productive to have free and open discussion? Instead, we are having free and open havoc. What is accomplished? My view is that there´s a whole bunch of folks walking away from these town halls with the idea "We sure told those so-and-sos where the bear poops. But others I feel are walking away thinking, "we haven´t learned a darn thing."
My thoughts? Some mature individual from both parties ought to stand together and tell folks, "This isn´t the way to get things done." Will anybody do it? Probably not, you see both Republicans and Democrats are winning at the expense of a few radicals. The Democrats are sitting back and saying, "Look at the way those idiots are acting. We knew they were one-sided. On the other hand, Republicans are saying, "Those darn Democrats can´t even control a civil meeting. In the end the American people get hurt because just a small amount of our population can´t control their hatred, their seething distrust of our government, or their public behavor.
Are there one, maybe two politicians that will stand up and condemn this behavior? Just one or two, that´s all I´m asking. Uh, have I gone too far on this?
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