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Monday, July 11, 2016

Governor’s office shouldn’t be religious pulpit - By Vern Smalley

My comments in bold.
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I comment on Mr. Smalley's letters from time to time in this blog, because he invariably creates a storm of misdirection. Here's the last time he discussed rights.

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Because we have the right to free speech, one might claim the right to stand in the street and scream profanities at 2 a.m. However, other people have the right to not hear the profanities. (There is no such right. Mr. Smalley uses an exaggerated situation to justify his assertion. That is, someone screaming profanities means there is legal reason to shut him up, and thus it is justifiable to silence others.

The right not to hear supersedes the right of free speech.)

They have the right to have the happiness of silence, (No they don't.)

and since all the screamer has to do is shut up, their happiness trumps his right to free speech. (There it is. Not only is there a right to silence, that right somehow supersedes speech.)

Advocating religion is similar. (No it is not.)

Everyone has the right to choose their religion, whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or whatever. However, we have the right to have happiness by not hearing anyone’s theories of religion (No we do not.)

(for example, broadcast with a loud speaker), and not using our tax money to advocate such theories.

Greg Gianforte wants to advocate fundamentalist religious teachings as Montana’s governor, and have us taxpayers pay his travel expenses. (He does? Documentation, please.)

I think that our right to not have his religious beliefs rammed down our throats trumps his right to advocate them, especially as governor of Montana. (On what basis?)

I will exercise my right for comforting silence by not voting for him. And John, I respect your right to choose your religion. Just put a lid on it. (This is the nature of fascist tyranny. Mr. Smalley is happy to abridge the free speech rights of anyone who violates his sensibilities. He thinks there's a right to not hear something he considers offensive. 

That is, he gets to decide after the fact whether or not the speech violates his rights, and on that basis can preemptively silence the speech of pre-determined subject matter.)

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