Your Opinion: Free speech and Kathy Griffin

Dear Editor:

In Mr. Cal Winter's article about free speech and Kathy Griffin I might have agreed with him if he would not have only defended liberal free speech. If in his article he would have defended the rights of Ann Coulter, Condoleeza Rice or any other conservative, his point would have been about free speech. By being a citizen of the United States we have the right to say anything with few exceptions. Exceptions are to yell fire in a crowded theater and libelous or slanderous statements. We are very lucky to live in a country that allows us to speak our minds without fear of jail or imprisonment. Look at Cuba for example.

Any person can make outrageous statements. Judgments will be made by the listener whether they agree or disagree with the statements. Consequences to the speaker will be whether they lose credibility and whether people wish to continue listening to the words of the speaker. In Kathy Griffin's case many people have chosen not to listen to her. That is not blacklisting, that is freedom to the American citizen to choose who they listen to.

I chose not to pay attention to Kathy Griffin.

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