Excellent contest entry The Silent Fool by Spiritual Echo Celebrate Freedom of Speech writing prompt entry

"Better to keep your mouth closed and have people think you a fool than open it and remove all doubt." The Constitution proclaims every citizen to have freedom of speech, but that right comes with responsibility. Should you call another a thief, you must have proof or you will be sued for slander. There are those that skirt the legalities by prefacing the statement with a qualifier. 'In my opinion..." This 'opinion' qualifier is especially true when it comes to philosophy or religion. No one can debate another's opinion or belief system. When espoused, the orator is simply making a personal declaration and usually hopes to attract other like-minded people. An opinion alone has no danger. When it becomes attached to an action to support a point of view, it can be dangerous. Hate mongering laws are meant to protect against radicals who espouse violence as a means of converting or subverting those who disagree. Radical groups have their own set of laws. We have all been sensitized to the power of words to incite or inspire, but in our personal world we often disregard the damage caused by careless statements. Does the freedom of speech allow us to wax on about any subject with complete disregard for the pain we inflict? Legally-yes. Morally and socially these people pollute the air with hate. I try to mind my own counsel and benignly pass them by, labelling them fools, but occasionally the hurtful comments come from people we care for. We may try to dismiss the statements, but we can't file them away, assign them to our fool category. They remain like a blot in our memory and might just as well be etched in granite. The pain stays forever. My mother once told me, "Words are like arrows. When you release them you'll never know how far they will go and what they will strike." Through time I have learned to stay silent. I will rage if I see an injustice occur, but feel no need to comment on every situation. I've also come to appreciate my own opinions and feel no need to explain or justify what I'm thinking. My words are secure, locked up inside my private vault. I try to treat them as valuable currency. No more would I burn a hundred dollar bill than I would enter a debate with someone whom I can't respect. Some might think of me as a fool. Those that don't agree with my opinions will immediately use any conversation on my behalf as solid evidence. I prefer to keep them guessing. Writing Prompt Here is your chance to celebrate your freedom of speech by offering up your thoughts on the current state of the union and the US Constitution. They can be in any form.

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