Thinking Citizen Blog — The Orion of Free Speech — What is Alnilam?
Thinking Citizen Blog — Saturday is Justice, Freedom, Law, and Values Day
Today’s Topic: The Orion of Free Speech — What is Alnilam?
What should every thinking citizen know about free speech? What are the seven most important things for every 18 year old to remember for life? This is the Orion Game. Or you could call it the Orion Discipline. It is the game of designing the perfect curriculum for every K-12 school in the land by focusing the minds of teachers on what really matters. What we do know is that trying to remember more than seven things about anything is pretty much impossible for humans. And even three can be a stretch. The most important thing to know about anything is what matters most — that is Alnilam the brightest star in the Orion constellation — the one at the center of the belt. So what is the Alnilam of free speech? Please try to answer this question before you read on. Thinking is about figuring out what the most important questions are, prioritizing them, then answering them as best you can while keeping an open mind, an open heart, and open eyes. Experts — please chime in. Correct, elaborate, elucidate.
THE THREE STARS OF THE BELT ARE THE THREE REASONS FREE SPEECH MATTERS AT ALL
1. Democracy does not work without the free exchange of ideas. Is this true? Does it matter? (Mintaka)
2. Free speech is key to Individual self-fulfillment. Is this true? Does it matter? (Alnitak)
3. Truth is the highest of all values (Alnilam). No truth, no justice, no freedom. Free speech is key to the quest for truth. Is this true? Does it matter?
THE TWO STARS ABOVE: WHAT ABOUT WARTIME? WHAT ABOUT PHYSICAL SAFETY?
1. Different rules for wartime? Think the Alien and Sedition Acts of the 1790s, or the Supreme Court decisions in Schenck v US (1919), or Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969), or Tinker v Illinois (1969). (Betelgeuse)
2. Exception for “fighting words”? Think Chaplinsky v US (1942). (Bellatrix)
THE TWO STARS BELOW: WHAT ABOUT OBSCENITY? WHEN IS CONDUCT SPEECH?
1. Is obscenity speech? Who decides what is obscene? Does a community have a right to set moral standards? Supreme Court Cases: Roth (1957), Miller (1972). (Saiph)
2. Is conduct speech? How about cross-burning? How about flag burning? How about Bible burning? Quran burning? Cases: Virginia v Black (2003), Rav v St. Paul (1992). (Rigel)
FOOTNOTE: Flag burning Map — Red (illegal), Green (legal)
Last three years of posts organized thematically:
PDF with headlines — Google Drive
YOUR TURN
Please share the coolest thing you learned in the last week related to justice, freedom, the law or basic values. Or the coolest, most important thing you learned in your life related to justice, freedom, the law, or basic values. Or just some random justice-related fact that blew you away.
This is your chance to make some one’s day. Or to cement in your mind something that you might otherwise forget. Or to think more deeply about something dear to your heart.
