The Problem With Free Speech

Is there a problem with free speech? To answer that question, we must look at how our words affect those around us. My father told me, “make sure your brain is engaged before putting your mouth in gear.” As a child, I let stuff fly out of my mouth, not even caring how it might come across to others. It cost me friendships, trust, and even in the job market. Based on personal experience, I’d say there’s a problem with free speech. Let me explain…

Motivated Kulture has a meme that says, “Once you realize the power of the tongue, you won’t just say anything. When you realize the power of your thoughts, you won’t just entertain anything. And once you figure out the power of your presence, you won’t be just anywhere.”  Do a Google search for “words and the tongue” and see how many describe how our words affect us and everything around us. It all begins with a thought that eventually becomes words; words that can harm or heal.  

A frequency is created with motion and vibration. We may not physically hear some frequencies but that doesn’t mean the frequency isn’t there. Thoughts have a frequency. Intentions have a frequency. Words and movement have frequencies. Frequencies create and everyone around us benefits (both negative and positive) from what comes out of us. This is where the power of free speech comes into play. What comes out of our mouth can create a positive or negative outcome. The choice is ours.

Masaru Emoto is the Japanese scientist who did the initial studies on how words affect water. However, it’s not yet known if his experiments have been repeated with similar results.  His results showed that positive words created beautiful shapes while negative words made ugly shapes.

It's now the fall of 2024 and we’re in a highly politically charged season. Words are flying right and left between candidates where one party and their leader is being called a threat to democracy, could destroy the country, and a few other words too nasty that I refuse to mention because they are quite horrible. The other party retorts back with derogatory nicknames describing various negative character traits of people within the opposing party. It’s an ongoing “word war” that demonstrates both political parties are acting like spoiled children who aren’t getting their way.

The other convention was quite different where no clear themes or policies were outlined and nearly every speaker attacked the character of the opposing parties’ two major candidates. Since those two conventions, the word wars have only increased. I don’t quite understand why they seem to think this is scoring them any points.   

I survived an abusive marriage and totally understand the abusive behaviors of gaslighting and crazymaking, which both political parties are engaging in. Somehow, they both feel it’s necessary to attack a person’s character with nasty and/or derogatory words. The media has their own narrative based on political bias, often repeating untruths that listeners believe and can act upon if it upsets them enough. People do stupid stuff when they get upset. Do we even consider that what comes out of our mouths can cause harm? Ponder on that while we look at the definitions of these two abusive behaviors…  

I encourage you to click on the link in the sources (below) where I provide definitions for many abusive behaviors. You may (or may not) be shocked to learn leaders across the world are using these tactics as a form of controlling people. If they can get us beat down enough, we’re more vulnerable to these tactics. We become stripped of our identity, both individually and collectively. How can I say that? When you’ve lived through it, you recognize it. All of these behaviors begin with words – words that hurt, destroy, and emotionally deprive us of who we are.

Compare the definitions for gaslighting and crazymaking to what’s going on in the USA from about 2010 leading up and into 2024. Mainstream media is heavily involved in gaslighting through negative words and accusations. People who get their “news” from negative media reports marinate in a sense of fear and desperation. After hearing the negative reports long enough, those most vulnerable tend to believe it – hook, line, and sinker. 

Negative reporting causes fear. When you hear something over, and over, and over, and over, and over...... eventually the negative "propaganda" settles into our belief systems where we frame thoughts into unhealthy intents that eventually lead to dangerous actions. How do we know something is propaganda? Pay attention to HOW things are worded across various news media outlets. When they use identical wording and phrases, you're being brought under the "spell" of propaganda. It's the repetition thing that sinks into our brains, just like commercials coercing us to go out and buy the latest and greatest thing. 

When horrible events occur, such as the event on July 13^th in Butler, Pennsylvania, these instances can often be caused by what people have listened to prior to doing their nefarious acts. I venture to guess the “perp” in this case believed the propaganda spewed by the media and nastiness within the two political parties. He then acted upon it thinking he was saving our "democracy."

There’s another word for this… brainwashing. It’s through words, both written and spoken, that causes an action. This is how Hitler was able to control an entire country where his “underlings” committed major atrocities. He even coerced the general German population into allowing it to happen for fear of opposing what they knew was wrong. Those who opposed the leaders were put into concentration camps. Hitler ruled through fear. It all began through the power of words. Life and death are truly in the power of the tongue.

The other piece to this puzzle is a term we call “projection.” We don’t realize that when we see something in someone else that we don’t like, we begin to criticize that person for the very thing we’re doing ourselves! I tell a story in my book, Transforming Mindsets, from one of my jobs where my bosses sat me down and said every nasty thing possible while attacking my character for three hours, then they fired me when it was all over. One line I remember went something like this… “How could someone with a doctoral degree be so stupid?” It only went downhill from there. My bosses projected onto me all the nasty things they’d done to me up until that point. Keep that in mind the next time you hear a political party or candidate hurl accusations (attacking character, name calling, telling outright lies, etc.) about another candidate. More than likely, there’s a bit of projection in their statements. My rule of thumb? The moment I start hearing negativity, accusations, and “character assassinations” towards others, I walk away and listen no more.

Conclusion

Is there a problem with free speech? The answer is a resounding yes! Just because we can speak freely in America doesn’t mean we should speak everything that’s on our mind. We must consider the feelings of others and how the comments we make will represent and reflect on our character. Are we speaking life over people or are we releasing death? We must also remember that our words come back to us, and we reap the consequences of those words whether we like it or not. We must also note that “hurting people hurt people.” It’s possible to choose NOT to be offended by other’s nasty comments. What’s the point of being offended? When someone is hurting bad enough that they have to say nasty things about you to feel better about themselves, realize you’re the bigger person and don’t need to “take in” their negativity!

Although free speech allows us to speak what’s on our mind, we must be willing to accept the consequences of our words and actions. If we can’t do that, we’d be better off saying nothing. Once we begin to recognize this truth, the world will be in a better place. As we learn to “resonate” with frequencies of perfect love, peace, hope, joy, kindness, etc., we’ll see greater changes in society. Do note that there are “copycat” versions of these seemingly positive words. If our actions don’t line up with what’s coming out of our mouth, there’s more of a chance the negative aspects will settle into our body and emotions as sickness – both physical and mental. And we wonder why there’s a mental health crisis in the world today? I suspect that as we learn to reframe our thoughts for a more positive outcome, we’ll be healthier – spirit, soul, and body.

Enjoy the Good News!

Del, September 2024

Sources