Politicians Need to Grow Up

Op-Ed Columnist – The Rage Is Not About Health Care – NYTimes.com

So, now, the left are the ones saying that speech should be curtailed? How on earth do they call themselves liberals. By definition, the term liberal is based on the concept of individual liberty. Aren’t they supposed to be the free speech advocated? Did democrats expect everyone to just go home and say nothing? The health care vote was the most contentious national issue of my time. They pushed it through without majority support using a combination of deals and parliamentary tricks. Did they expect people not to say anything? Really??

In this country, we believe in the freedom of speech. If you can’t take what people are going to say about you, don’t put yourself in a position to be talked about. If you think what people are saying is idiotic, then why worry about it? What ever happened to “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”?

Just once, I wish one of the talking heads from Washington would say that they do not approve of protest actions which injure of damage property, but that they believe in free speech. People should be free to say what they want, call their congressman whatever they want. That is their right in a country that has free speech. So, the politicians that are upset about being called names need to grow up and accept the responsibility and consequences of their actions. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Let’s just hope that we don’t see a bill to create a canadian style hate speech tribunal.