Free Speech?

I am a full supporter of free speech - with one small qualification. Since when did vulgarity become speech? Free Speech should pertain to expressing ideas, good or bad, with no reprisals.

If you do not like the government, or any other public entity, you should be free to say so. If you have some new ideas on how things could be done, you should be free to say so.

But to many, Free Speech means any utterance that can come out of your mouth - or that you can write or draw - should be protected.

The constitution prohibits Congress from passing laws that would, in any way, inhibit the free flow of opinions and ideas. But it says nothing about protecting the guy who wants to exhibit his lack of consideration for other people's sensibilities.

Yes, some will say that what offends one person is an expression of an idea or opinion to someone else, so there can be no dividing line. But, I say that is bogus. If you were asked to give a talk before a class of first graders and their mothers, no one would have to explain to you what constitutes offensive language. You would just know.

Today it is popular to make your statement by way of a bumper sticker, or a printed T-shirt.
This weekend I saw a young teen boy with a T-shirt that said, "Poker? I hardly know her." Nice.

A young girl had a shirt that said, "Drop and give me twenty." An adult woman's shirt said, "Manure Happens." Another girl's shirt said, "This is your boyfriend's shirt." A man's shirt had a picture of a dog and the text, "Whose leg do I have to hump around here to get a beer?" Another man's shirt read, "I am trying to see things from your point of view but I can't get my head far enough up my ass."

There are bumper stickers that say, "Mean people suck. Nice people swallow.", "I know Jack Shit.", etc., etc.

I just can't imagine why anyone would want to advertise that they are coarse, vulgar, and indifferent to what may offend their fellow human beings.

And, speaking of advertising, why in the world do people pay good money for clothing that has the manufacturer's name emblazoned across the front or back? And why do they pay tens of thousands of dollars for an automobile, then have a fifty-cent plastic frame around their license plate with the auto dealer's name, phone and web address imprinted?

In making TV commercials, I have always been very careful when I chose someone to give a testimonial for my product. My theory is that a person giving a testimonial is sending two messages: First is what they are saying. Second is what message their appearance is sending. A person may say your product is great. But if they just look stupid, viewers may well feel they do not want to take advice from an idiot.

The same applies to T-shirts and license plate frames. If you wear a T-shirt with a vulgar saying, I am reading the message that you are lacking in culture or education, or feelings, or something else - but definitely lacking.

If you bought an expensive automobile to impress me with your success, then use it to display a crude bumper sticker or a cheap license plate frame, I will conclude that you don't come close to being the person you would like me to think you are.