Right Left Out

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." -- Voltaire

   Freedom of speech works both ways. That's a  concept many activists, especially on the left, too often forget as they strive to advance their cause. This is not to say the cause is wrong, or that their efforts are not legitimate, but in stifling the voices of those who disagree or have alternate suggestions on how to achieve a common goal, activists violate the very principle that enables their activism.
   The right of free speech and the power to protest are two fundamental principles guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. Shutting out disagreement, however, tramples on those same rights endowed to all.
   The left-wing demonstrators at the University of Missouri were right in demanding action by school officials to stop bigotry on the campus. But to refuse to listen to alternative ways to deal with the problem violates the free speech rights of those who disagree.
   Equally problematic, moreover, is the attempt by some activists -- especially a journalism faculty member -- to force a student journalist to leave the scene of the demonstration, which was held in a public place and was supposedly open to all. In this case, the college fired the teacher, and was justified in doing so.
   It's an open question, however, as to whether conservatives or liberals are more likely to stifle disagreement, trampling on the free speech rights of those who disagree. Historically, such tactics have been used by either side in various countries around the world, whether the disagreement is over politics, religion or anything else. It's especially egregious, moreover, when one side uses its religious beliefs to claim they have divine authorization to impose their views on others, ignoring the civil rights of opponents while proclaiming the righteousness of their own religious rights.
   The Bill of Rights listed in the U.S. Constitution protects not only the free exercise of religion, but also free speech and a free press. Moreover, no single set of religious beliefs may take precedence over any other, a concept embodied in Article VI of the Constitution itself, which prohibits any religious test.