Posted on 08.18.2017

Free Speech

What is free speech?

To me it means being able to express your opinion viva voce, in print or by some broadcast method.

It gives you the right to say what you want to on any subject, the right to agree or disagree with any issue, any policy or anybody else�s opinion, no matter how prevalent the opposing ideas may be.

What it does not do is give you the right to lie or slander, incite a riot or falsely accuse. And it does not give you the right to suppress the opinions of others as they have just as much right as you do to express it, no matter how much it disagrees with your own.

It is not meant to enable you to out shout, disrupt or intimidate a person with an opposing view. There is no law that requires that you listen, so if you don�t like what someone is saying, show your disdain by just staying away or critiquing them after the fact.

Freedom of speech is supposed to let both sides have their way, say their piece, to let all sides be heard and let the people who are affected by it get up and have their say, disputing or supporting it. It�s called debate.

What recently happened in Charlottesville, Virginia had nothing to do with free speech, the right or wrong of removing a statue from public view or civil discourse representing both sides of this explosive spectrum.

No, it�s a clash of cultures, a face off of the intransigent and the people who went to Charlottesville went there looking for and determined to cause a violent confrontation, and, in spite of what the preponderance of the talking heads would have us believe, I saw violence on both sides of the barriers, both sides had clubs and aerosol irritants and I even saw one man squirt fire toward the face of another.

It was a display of the worst social conduct America has to offer, and I�m sure our enemies loved every minute of it.

We saw raw hate on display in Charlottesville, hate of the caliber that had the power to move people to violence that cost the lives of a young girl, run down by a depraved fanatic, and two law enforcement officers who were killed in a helicopter crash.

And the most shocking thing in this whole debacle was the reluctance of the police to stop the violence before it got out of hand, an order that had to be issued from above, because it goes against the instincts and the training of any good police officer to stand by and watch violent confrontations.

Enforcement of the law has to be where the rubber meets the road, in this situation, our police have to be given the ability to do whatever needs to be done to maintain order on our city streets, and until that element is added to the equation this kind of behavior is going to escalate until we see our cities burn and the casualties start piling up.

We�re better than this America, the overwhelming majority of the people in this nation does not belong to a hate group and deplores seeing this type of confrontation and desperately want to see it cease and desist.

Personally, I soundly condemn every hate group, every faction and every person who went to Charlottesville for the sole purpose of fomenting and participating in the chaos.

There are many powder kegs out there across the country just waiting for the fuse to be lit by some group or gaggle of individuals with an ax to grind, and America, don�t think that this will stop, even if all the so-called offensive statues and monuments are removed, it goes much deeper than that.

These are the seeds of insurrection and make no mistake, it has little to do with free speech and much to do with changing America, and if this bud is not nipped now, the path it will take will eventually find its hateful way to your part of the world.

What do you think?

Pray for our troops, our police and the peace of Jerusalem.

God Bless America

� Charlie Daniels

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Comments

Freedom
Amen, Amen & Amen Charlie, the Nazi's and Black Lives Matter are both guilty as Hell for the violence in Charlottesville just as they are both anti-semantic, which makes me want to puke. If these people are not dealt with just like their mad dog Muslim counterparts, the destruction of this great country will be sooner than latter. If the Democrats running these cities do not wake up and quit be commie sympathizers with their sodomite buddy Obama they will find their souls eternally damned sooner than later. nuff said God Bless Plowboy
Posted by Plowboy
Do not mention the Nazis
It is sad to read about 'a depraved fanatic' but no mention of Nazis or KKK. Racism and terrorism do not have a place here. They do not get equal time. When right-wing protesters outgun the police, when they wear body armor and carry weapons with no other purpose than killing people, you have trouble. We have a contingent among us who see freedom as license to threaten and even kill anyone who disagrees with them. We have a President who through his carefully parsed sentences, promotes it. We have a President who is quick to condemn terrorism abroad but sits on his hands when domestic terrorism is the result of right-wing fanatics. Instead, it is left to people like the honorable ex-Presidents in the Bush family to speak. We need a leader who believes in this country and believes in the law. I wish we had one.
Posted by dana
Amen
I could not agree or said it better. Now we need to get this message out to everyone. Thank you for your wisdom and music.
Posted by Eric
Bush
Greetings Dana, I offer the following opinion with the love of Jesus. Prescott Bush, George H W Bush and George W Bush were all members of the Skull & Bones society. Prescott was a in bed with the Nazi's and had three companies that he was either on the board of directors or invested in were seized in 1942 under the Trading with the Enemy Act. George H W gave his Toward a New World Order on 09/11/1991 exactly 10 years before the 09/11/2001 terrorist attack. George W hosted satanic rocker Ozzy Osborne at the White House, sent Federal agents to seize the Indianapolis Baptist Temple, and took Constitutional Freedoms under the Patriot Act,his wife Laura has sent Christmas cards with Occult symbols on them and supports gay marriage. How Christ like is all of this. Donald Trump is without a doubt the most Christian President since Jimmy Carter. God Bless Plowboy
Posted by Plowboy
Nazis
I guess Dana missed this soapbox from last week: "Whether it�s Black Lives Matters marching down a street chanting about frying police officers like bacon or white supremacists waving swastikas and screaming hateful racial epithets, whether it�s a venue full of college students shouting down a speaker with opposing views or a random drive by shooting of a rival gang member, they all demonstrate how, not just divided but how, shattered our nation really is."
Posted by Ben
Free Speech
Thank you Charlie- again you said it better than I ever could. It is a crying shame that i see my country disengrate right before my own eyes. Love Soap Box- wish all American read the bible and the Soap Box. Thanks once again
Posted by Ralph
Charlie Daniels
Amen Sir. I so agree with you. You have so eloquently said what many, many of us are unable to put into words. I am so horrified by what is happening in our wonderful world. Blessings to you Sir.
Posted by Patti
Free speech
I saw you in Springield last night and you said that there are more of us than there are of them. You were right and we need to make our voices heard. Debate and discourse, not violence and suppression.
Posted by Valerie
Freedom of speech
I just wanted to say Amen to your blog. You have more scence than all those out there causing disruption. They are being manipulated.
Posted by Karen
Free speech
Well said. Two wrongs don't make a right.
Posted by Rebecca
History
Wouldn't it be great to build beautiful statues of champions against slavery instead of tearing apart history?
Posted by Patricia
Thank you
Hi, I know it's hard when only one person views life this way but... God knows that I use the saying. God gave you two ears and o e mouth so please listen twice as much as you speak! I hate that people want to blame slavery as an excuse for ignorance because I am Cherokee Indian and never blame everyone for us losing lot! Get over it and push forward. I don't even collect cash because my dad taught me to work my arse off. So I do! But thank you for great music cause it helps all times be better!
Posted by Bernadette
Frer speech
What is happening to our right to free speech? It is being taken away by people in black masks with weapons and the police in Charlottesville allowed that to happen. Yesterday a Free Speech rally was shut down by these people in black masks with weapons and the organizers had to be escorted off for their own safety. Why was their right to speak taken away by these haters? Why is it allowed? There is something very wrong percolating in this country, we know who is behind it yet no one in a position of authority will stop it. I am very sad about what I see going on and I agree with your comments completely. Please continue to speak your mind. You're in a position to say what everyone is thinking. Thank you, Charlie. We need to come together and stay together.
Posted by Angela
Free Speach
Thanks Charlie, again, right on target. The definition of Free Speach is key here. The moment anyone steps outside of that definition, law enforcement must stop it. That means law enforcement must KNOW what to allow and what to stop. And that requires preparation withcommand and control on the site.
Posted by Ron
Snake in the Grass
A snake inn the grass is Jason Kessler, the organizer behind the Alt Right movement, I did some studying this weekend and this morning saw this on World Net Daily: https://www.wnd.com/2017/08/setup-man-behind-white-supremacist-rally-supported-obama/ Keller is an Obomamite, Occupy Wall Street supporter, and a uncover plant of George Soros. He was sent in the Democratic ran city where police officers were once again told to stand down, and allow Black Life Matters protesters, without a permit to attack a lawfully assembled group. It don't matter that the Alt right is wrong in their theology, it matters that their constitutionally protect right s were trampled on by the Democratic machine, even the ACLU sees this one. nuff said God Bless Plowboy
Posted by Plowboy
Charlottesville
I agree with EVERY word you said. God isn't going to put up with this nonsense and immoral behavior much longer. Look what HE did in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah and the days of Noah! I enjoy your soapbox posts, kinda makes me feel like my Dad when he got on his. Keep 'em coming.
Posted by Reginna