There are many email lists devoted to amateur radio topics, in particular on Yahoo Groups. These email forums are a great way to learn and exchange information. Usually these lists are created to hit a particular topic of interest. Over time, people stray off into other areas and start posting topics that are not appropriate for the forum. Eventually, the moderator steps in and shuts down the off-topic conversation.
What can happen next is the off-topic posters claim their right of “freedom of speech” is being violated. “This is America, and we have freedom of speech.” (Kind of an odd statement since the internet is worldwide, not just a US concern, but I’ll set that aside.) This just happened a few days ago on an email list I use.
It has become all too common to hear people claiming “rights” that don’t really exist. US citizens might want to read the US Constitution once in a while, so they know what it actually says about freedom of speech:
First Amendment: 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 US Constitution basically says that Congress cannot establish laws that abridge (limit) the freedom of speech. The amendment focuses on what the government is allowed to do to restrict the citizens. It does not mean that a citizen has the right to have their speech published in the local newspaper, sent through an email list, or posted on another person’s web site, etc. Newspapers, web site owners and moderators of email lists make decisions every day on what type of “speech” they are going to allow in their communication forum.
73, Bob K0NR
Well said Bob. I’ve been moderating forums for many years, and this argument, as you noted, comes up over and over. You have correctly pointed out that the government has no right to restrict freedom of speech, but it doesn’t mean that anyone can say anything anywhere. I’ve always wonder why, if people are so sure they have the right to say anything they want in a forum that I moderate that they don’t decide to take me to court. 🙂 On a more serious (and realistic) note, if they really don’t like the way I moderate, you have to wonder why they don’t just start their own forum/mailing list/etc. They DO have the right to do that.
Well done.
A lot of people who cite the Constitution don’t have a clue what’s actually in it. One of my favorites was when a female radio amateur radio on QRZ quipped that US law should be stripped down to the Bill of Rights. Ironically that would eliminate the amendment allowing women to vote.
Regarding reflectors, many radio amateurs are confused about the purpose of them, thinking they are for people with one common interest to chat about anything and everything, with no focus on a topic. For example, if we’re all old farts who like QRP, everyone will be interested in my post about country music. Another thing that irks me is the Ambler Alert posters. If you tell these people these posts are off topic, you’re considered an insensitive clod. But if every reflector posted Amber Alerts, some of us would get the same alert a hundred times.