A lesson on the First Amendment

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is, in my opinion, the most significant freedom we possess.  It is the very heart of what makes our free democratic society the very best country in which to live.  The single most important freedom of the freedoms contained in that wonderful little amendment is the right to free speech.

In case it's been a while since you've taken a high school government class, here's what the amendment actually says:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Yep, that's right, CONGRESS shall make no law.  Congress, not A&E.

To continue out civics lesson, the First Amendment is applied to the States through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.  This is called incorporation and it was first recognized as applying to freedom of speech by the United States Supreme Court in 1925 in a case called Gitlow v. New York.  However, there is no incorporation of any aspect of the bill of rights to private entities.  You have no right to free speech where your private, non-governmental employer is concerned.

Or to state it simply:  There is no protected right of free speech at A&E.

Personally, I am for marriage equality.  I have no issue with it nor do I share the same level of religious beliefs as Phil Robertson.

But I am also 100% behind Phil Robertson being able to shout his personal beliefs from the rooftops if he so chooses and if the Government tried to prevent him from doing so, I'd be right there with Mike Huckabee and all of Mr. Robertson's other supporters screaming First Amendment Freedom!

To Phil Robertson, I say good for you.  We need more people in America to not hide there beliefs.  We need to have the dialogue because only the dialogue can move us forward.

However, I cannot support a Free Speech Boycott of A&E as there is no Free Speech violation here.

A&E is a private corporation and just like any other private company they can fire you for what you say.  That's why people get fired for what they post on Facebook.

So America if you want to boycott A&E for there stance on Phil Robertson's comments be my guest but do it for the right reasons.  Do it because you believe in what Phil said.  Do it because you share Phil's beliefs.  Do it because the show won't be the same without him.  Just don't do it while waiving the First Amendment around and wrapping yourself up in self-righteous claims of free speech because your anger is misplaced.  Save your First Amendment fight for when it really matters.  Save it for when your Government censors your speech.