Abridgment and lack there of

Let's discuss America.

I love America.

My favorite part of America is the thing I've based my schooling and career around - the magnificent First Amendment (particularly those speech, religion and press parts).

I've taken a full year of First Amendment law and even presented a paper on speech rights at an academic conference. You can pretty much say anything in America and you will not be punished by the government.

If Donald Sterling wants to tell his sidepiece not to hang out with black people, he's allowed to scream it from the rooftops.

If Phil Robertson wants to preach that homosexuality is a sin, then cheers - he'd fit in great with a little homegrown church from Topeka that I know of.

If Paula Dean wants to have black help at her kid's wedding because it's reminiscent of Civil War slavery, then hokie dokie. Leave a big tip.

If Truitt Cathy wants to cast gays as sinners and donate money to Exodus International, where they pray away the gay (successfully, no doubt), then I offer him a shrug and slight eye roll.

Here's to freedom of speech. They all said their pieces and didn't get arrested. Because freedom of speech is between a citizen and the government.

The government.

None of them had any kind of LEGAL, government action taken against them - which means their freedom of speech has been protected.

Now, my second favorite part of America is the democracy part. Because when Paula Dean or Truitt Cathy do something I don't like, I'm allowed to NOT buy their products. I am also allowed to say "I don't like that" and not get arrested.

When Phil or Donald - public figures who represent franchises - make public statements directly contradicting company policy, they can be dismissed from their positions and/or sponsorship can be dropped.

If I were a public figure and I represented Kimberly-Clark in an interview, I would try not to say anything stupid. If I quoted Luke 12:47, I would probably be let go. Because it is against company policy to beat people for not doing what they're told. Oh right, and slavery. Kimberly-Clark doesn't support slavery. They also don't like their name being associated with that kind of outdated rhetoric from a 2000-year old book, best-seller or not.

If you heard me say something supportive of slavery and/or beatings on behalf of slavery and, say, you were NOT a fan of slavery and/or beatings - you are allowed to no longer buy Kimberly-Clark products.

Because...capitalism. Freedom of choice. America.

So, as long as these people aren't being arrested for what they say, they are not having their First Amendment rights infringed upon. The First Amendment means you have the freedom to say what you want, but it does not guarantee freedom from consequences. So let's stop hiding behind it and start taking more accountability for ourselves.