Free speech, yes, but where’s the kindness?

When I first became aware of flags being burned in protest in the early 1970s, I was incensed and felt it should be a capital crime.

The irony of the situation didn’t escape me: The very flag being burned represented the freedom that gave the right to burn it without fear of reprisal.

In my more advanced years, I now see the fallacy of the flag desecration amendment that Congress has considered: To enact such an amendment would be equivalent to saying, “There are no absolutes,” which statement, in fact, is an absolute itself. You can’t legislate honor, common sense, or compassion.

How far we’ve come.

Several weeks ago, an Associated Press article told about the defacing of a soldier’s memorial in Massachusetts. The Green Beret was one of the first casualties in the war on terror in Afghanistan, and vandals defaced a memorial in his honor with anti-war graffiti.

It saddened me that people could be so heartless, but it appears my sympathies were inadequate for the depths of human depravity.

My son is deployed in Iraq with the 101st Airborne out of Fort Campbell, Ky. When memorial services were being held on base for some fallen soldiers, my daughter-in-law was advised of a special route to take in order to avoid the anti-war protesters.

Cries of “You caused their deaths by supporting the war” and “You can’t be sad when you’re the ones who encouraged them to go” were hurled at the families and friends gathered there. Can you imagine?

This goes beyond disrespect to pure and outright hatred. Where does such hate come from?

Here’s a clue: While on a road trip to Vermont, I was driving along Route 2 through New Hampshire, when my radio station disappeared, disrupted by the White Mountains. I fiddled with the dial and finally tuned in a talk show. Not my favorite, but better than silence, or so I thought.

The show featured two men, A and B, whose conversation went like this:

A: … I’m Jesus! (giggles).

B: Walk on water! (laughs). Hey, I’m hungry!

A: My body’s bread. Eat me! (giggles) I’m Jesus!

B: Walk on water! (laughs).

At that point I turned the radio off. Silence was preferable.

I wish I had had the fortitude to hear it through to the end of the show, to see what the purpose of their program was, to find out who they were, so I could maybe try to understand their motives for slandering the Son of God in such a juvenile manner.

I guess that’s nothing, though, compared with the pictures featured in the campus newspaper Insurgent at the University of Oregon. The March edition featured crude drawings depicting Jesus as a homosexual.

The students refused to issue an apology, and the head of the school said he didn’t feel it was his place to make them do so. Student editor Jessica Brown said, “I have to say it is really fun to offend people. It is fun to break the rules. If it p people off, good. That’s the point!!!! It has here in this office. So read, get p and talk about it.”

Excuse me? We seem to have forgotten the Golden Rule: The Bible tells us in Luke 6:31 (NASB). “And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way.”

Would Ms. Brown have been so quick to print pictures of her father in such a fashion for all the world to see? Would the anti-war protesters welcome the masses to their private memorials and funeral services?

The sad truth is, anyone is fair game, from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to the president of the United States to the governors of our states to our military leaders to our soldiers. The list is endless. And who hasn’t made a rude comment or two about our leaders’ abilities or actions? I’m ashamed to admit that I have.

Everyone has a right to their opinion. Under free speech, we have the right to express our views, but the level of hatred and disrespect that’s running rampant has got to stop. We must think about the ramifications before we’re so quick to criticize. Would we feel comfortable if someone were to say that about us? Or our parents? Or our children or grandchildren?

My friend Sylvia reminds me, “Say what you mean; mean what you say; just don’t say it mean.”

Someone has said we should keep our words kind and sweet, so that if we end up eating them, we won’t choke on them. The Bible says it even better: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

Definitely words to live by.

Brenda Norris is assistant Sunday school leader and choir director at the West Lubec Methodist Church. She may be reached via bdnreligion@bangordailynews.net. Voices is a weekly commentary by Maine people who explore issues affecting spirituality and religious life.