"Free Speech Zone"

These are areas set up in public areas that allow people to exercise their first amendment right.




WHAT?!

Soon we are going to have to have a license to have an assembly. Wait. We already do. Is it just me, or is there something wrong with this idea. They (the powers that be, NWO etc) can now designate appropriate areas for someone to exercise 'rights' promised by the them.

This is a gross misuse of government funds, power, and effort. Who came up with this idea? To me, it sounds like it was devised in a Bilderburger meeting to keep the public at a distance of its events.

When I see those signs I just laugh. It is an obvious attempt to control us, and manipulate the media coverage of events and people.

Disgusting....

First Amendment doesn't apply to my country...so perhaps I have no right to chip in on this proposal.

However I do see somewhat how specific Public Areas may come about.

Within many cities and towns within my country there are areas that perhaps aren't so much official areas that people can stand, dance, jump up and down and have there say about anything...they are merely unofficial publically accepted areas...such as town squares, large public parks within the city and the like.

To me there is a bit of a balance here...some middle ground that perhaps also needs to be recognised.

By all means people should have their say and speak their mind...heck I spent over a decade in the active protest movement within my own country being a right royal p.i.t.a, marching, ranting, speaking, yelling and screaming in support of the cause I was part of and the ideology I believe/d in...

...however...I do feel that the public also has some form of *right* (again be it official or unofficial) NOT to be subjected to someone or some group exercising their right of Free Speech everywhere and anywhere.

To be honest I'm all for protest groups that wish to make a change, that wish to highlight issues within the community, country or wider world...but I'm not overly keen to be walking down the street and have almost every street corner an impromptu 'soap-box' event with some guy - no matter how much I may support their cause - yelling and screaming about it.

Sorry - but really...when its like every few metres theres someone preaching about Jesus or going on about global warming or speaking about Animal Rights or lecturing about Human Rights or expressing their dismay about the city council or complaining about the social system etc etc etc...ya know what...shut the hell up already.

How about the publics *right* to be able to walk down the street and no have every man and his dog yelling and screaming...


...like I say...I see a need for some balance here.


Yes there are Rights.
But I also feel there are Responsibilities that are part and parcel of those Rights...

...such as the responsibility not to be a p.i.t.a...



Peace.

Really this is old news. It has been in place since G. W. Bush was president.

My belief is that we ignore their "free speech zones" until they move them close enough for the protested to see or hear the masses.

i agree, most places you need to apply for and purchase a PERMIT to practice free speech. (1st amendment)

in addition, you have to have a permit in most states to carry a firearm
(2nd amendment)

the PATRIOT act allows for warrantless searches, (4th amendment)
permanant detention without a jury or counsel (6th amendment)
and if you want to get technical, torture and waterboarding could be considered cruel and unusual punishment. (8th amendment)

then the Federal government tries to trump states rights when i comes to things like medical marijuana, and gun laws. (10th amendment)

not to mention habeas corpus if you are branded a "terrorist"

historical note: hitler didnt rise up to power with force, he did it by law.
google: "Reichstag Fire Decree" and "Enabling Act"

[edit on 9-10-2009 by turbokid]

I had the same reaction to the free speech zone signs as you did when I first encountered one, it was at the visitors center for a national park. I was thinking WTF!!???? Fascist USA or what?
Anyhoo, I went in to ask someone what it meant and why it was there. Story was that many religious groups were being obnoxious and proselytizing visitors. A few environmental groups were being pushy as well. As long as these zones are only in parks I have no problem with it even if it is public property. I don't go to parks to listen to people like that, I go there to get away from them.

"Free Speech Zones" imply that there are zones which do NOT allow free speech. I don't like that one bit. I worry for my American neighbours to the south, though this has, as was said, been going on for a few years, now.

Planet Earth should be our Free Speech Zone.