The Bill of Rights: selective interpretation

There's no prejudice here about the redneck/hillbilly culture.  As a matter of fact I kind of envy the people who live that way. In a sense the Alaska Bush life isn't much different.

I can picture myself mudding in a big truck; actually I do it though not on purpose on a four-wheeler sometimes. Though a crime, the moonshine era is a sort of romantic one in US history.  It certainly isn't an expensive way to live, except maybe for the truck and you look at some of the sites about the culture, people seem to be happy in most of the pictures, though besides mud, the activity might involve serious amounts of beer.

photo from Boycott Duck Dynasty

All in all the backwoods country life appeals in many ways. The one part of it I wrestle with is the politics. At least in the stereotype, it involves Obama-hating, Bible thumping, racism intolerance, ignorance, reliving the Civil War with hopes for a different outcome, gun baiting, and voting straight-line republican ticket even though it is Republican policies that keep us all poor.

Also like many bullies, the minute something or somebody opposes these people, they try to hide behind god or the constitution or some other established authority. On one hand intrusion of government is evil and needs to be stopped, on the other if challenged, government is the defense. So it goes.

The latest culture clash is over a television show called "Duck Dynasty," a show that showcases a family of supposed backwoods people who make their living manufacturing duck calls, and now in reality television.

Recently the arguably most popular member of the family in an interview put out some gay-bashing and racist comments. Action was quick: the network took him off the show at least for the time being. The reaction was even stronger with people from all walks of life defending the character and hauling out the First Amendment right to free speech to support their case.

And that is where the frustration of ignorance applies itself.

No one at all is challenging his right to say anything he wants. We can all do that, say what we want when we want.

What these defenders don't seem to realize is that freedom of speech doesn't extend to the consequences from something you say freely. If you stand up in a bar and call the guy next to you stupid, expect to be punched.  Free speech -- consequences.

So if you speak loudly as a homophobe or racist, in modern society you should expect some consequence. In this case the consequence was losing his job. Others have suffered far worse consequences for speaking their minds, their precious Jesus, for one.

The whole uproar over this incident is historically inconsequential. We, including me as we can see, waste an awful lot of thought time on such incidents. At least this one has a constitutional lesson involved.

The lesson is simple: Say anything you want, but before you do, consider the consequences.

"Preacher man's talkin' on the TV,

he's puttin' down the rock and roll,

wants me to make a donation,

'cause he's worried about my soul.

Well, Jesus walked on the water,

and I know that it's true,

but sometimes I think that preacher man

would like to do a little walkin' too.

Now I ain't askin' nobody for nothin'

if I can't get it on my own.

If you don't like the way I'm livin'

just leave this long-haired country boy alone."

-- "Long-haired Country Boy," Charlie Daniels Band