The only valid censorship of ideas is the right of people not to listen.

I was checking my web stats and I noticed my blog was being linked to the small local message board I recently wrote about taking a break from. To my surprise (not really) a few of the stupider troglodytes were all up in arms about my blog entry where I was talking about how even though I wasn’t participating on that board, they just couldn’t stop talking about me

To prove how wrong I was, they linked my blog and talked, talked, talked, talked about me. Once again I am the main topic of their conversation.

Another whole thread dedicated to yours truly. This time they are stomping their little feet and holding their breath swearing up and down they don’t care one little bit about me or anything I have to say by posting about me over and over and over…. Oh the irony!

It did get me thinking though about one of my favorite things. The first amendment of the constitution

“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.”

The most basic component of freedom of expression is the right of freedom of speech. The right to freedom of speech allows individuals to express themselves without interference or constraint by the government. Freedom of the press guaranteed by the first amendment is not very different from the right to freedom of speech. It allows an individual to express themselves through publication and dissemination. It is part of the constitutional protection of freedom of expression.

I don’t know if I would call my blog “the press” but it sure falls under the heading of ‘expressing myself though dissemination” and I really don’t care who doesn’t like the fact that I not only have the right to express myself but that I take the initiative and I actually do express myself and I will continue to whenever I feel like it. I am a patriot and those rights apply to me as well as those same troglodytes (and one nasty troglodyte-ette) only they choose to express themselves by grunting and scratching their crotches instead of by forming an original thought and putting pen to paper.

Yes it’s true, the first amendment is my favorite amendment to the constitution…. though I do have a little crush on the 4th.

Big kiss,
Jenny