Opinion : First Amendment rights sometimes misunderstood : Sidney Herald, Sidney, Montana

First Amendment rights sometimes misunderstood

Published on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 7:04 PM MDT

It seems that recently some people have been yelling about their First Amendment rights when you turn on the TV or come across a newspaper article.

One of those people is the famous Dr. Laura Schlessinger who told Larry King she was quitting her radio show because she wants to regain her First Amendment rights. “I want to be able to say what’s on my mind and in my heart and what I think is helpful and useful without somebody getting angry…”

Seems to us that she doesn’t want “to regain” her First Amendment rights, but instead she doesn’t want other Americans to use their First Amendment rights by speaking out and criticizing her.

The First Amendment provides us with freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the right of people to peacefully assemble.

Locally, many times some of our readers become upset when we decide not to post one of their comments they made on our website. We might decide not to post it for a number of reasons including being off subject or being a personal attack on a private individual or business.

When the comment isn’t posted, there are often cries that we are taking away their First Amendment rights. That, however, isn’t the case. If that person decides to put up the comment on their own website, the First Amendment allows them to do just that. The Herald is just making the decision not to allow the comment on the website that the newspaper owns.

If a person wishes to put up a campaign sign for U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg on their lawn, they are certainly allowed to do so. But the person can’t put the same sign on his neighbor’s property without permission.

That also holds true when a person can print what they wish on a piece of paper or their property, but they can’t force others, even a community newspaper, to print their words. If a newspaper printed everything it received, you would be reading about such items as a company that will give you cash fast and many mentions of Viagra. (Our junk mail today has more than 300 messages, many of which readers have no interest in).

The First Amendment is such a valued right in our country. It’s a great freedom that we should all understand and use appropriately.

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