Quote:
Originally posted by sgtclub
Not a bad first draft. My additions are in ALL CAPS. Brackets represent deletions. Let's take the first one first. We can move on to others later.
I note that these DO NOT necessarily represent all of my views; rather, just my views of the respective beliefs of the left and right.
The Left believes that the first Amendment is critical to the American way of life, and that free speech and respect for diverse viewpoints is part of what makes this country great, EXCEPT IF THE SPEECH IS COMMERICAL SPEECH AND EXCEPT IF THE SPEECH IS POLITICALLY INCORRECT.
The Right believes that free speech is [fine but national security comes first] CRITICAL TO THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE AND IS WHAT MAKES THIS COUNTRY GREAT. HOWEVER, THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS NOT UNLIMITED AND CERTAIN INFRINGEMENTS, AT TIMES, ARE NECESSARY BASED ON THE RESPECTIVE INTERESTS INVOLVED. FOR EXAMPLE, AN ALLEGED TERRORIST SHOULD NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO FREELY COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER TERRORISTS IF DOING SO REASONABLY THREATENS NATIONAL SECURITY. THE RIGHT ALSO PREFERS THAT Free speech not be used to say anything unAmerican, BUT GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT PROSECUTE THOSE WHO EXERCISE THIS RIGHT, SO LONG AS NATIONAL SECURITY IS NOT REASONABLY THREATENED.
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Your additions on the description of the Left don't work; these are hotly debated issues within the left and you're trying to characterize the whole left based on them. I think I could get pretty universal agreement on the statement I made fromt he Left, however.
On the statement about the Right, you see the urge that everyone, left and right, has whenever someone tries to simplify your beliefs, and I could do it with the statement on the left as well and it would then more accurately reflect my own personal beliefs.
There is always a "...but" because none of us limit our beliefs on these issues to two lines. I know I asked about your own beliefs and not the Right as a whole, but don't you think a lot of folks on the right would disagree with you on the notion that "government should not prosecute those..." and argue that anarchism and communism are inherantly a threat to national security? I know this was a hallmark of the right I grew up around.
But I will not burden you with Goldwater's views, and in turn would ask that you refrain from oversimplifying my position on the first amendment to suggest that I, as an avowed leftist, would limit the application of the first amendment to protect non-"PC" speach, whatever that is (is that like saying things that are unAmerican?).
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