1.2 Response Paper
The article is from the opinion section of The Boston Globe. It is entitled A Little Less Freedom of Speech” and discusses how recent claims of racism by minorities are inhibiting freedom of speech in the general public. The article argues that freedom of speech is being limited by outrageous accusations of racism. The thesis supporting this argument states, “It doesn’t take much to get slammed as a racist these days.” This implies that due to certain people’s misconceptions and altered understandings, even a simple phrase like “Eenie meenie minie moe” can be viewed as racist jargon.
The article mentions the following frames:
- Jennifer Cundif, who was accused of racism but found innocent.
- A cabinet member of the mayor of Washington D.C. who was accused of racism for using the word niggardly,” which means stingy.
- Students at Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska who were penalized by the school administration for putting up posters that were deemed inappropriate and racist.
Although the writer does not have an actual works cited page, they cite sources such as the Omaha World-Herald and US District Judge Kathryn Vratil. The use of different frames makes their opinion more acceptable. When discussing the incident at the airport, the columnist clearly states that the accusations made by customers were ludicrous. At the end of the essay, they make their point eloquently: The First Amendment says nothing about a right not to be offended.
In a free society, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and the right to express it. However, with this freedom comes the risk of encountering speech that may be offensive or disagreeable. It is important to recognize that this is the price we pay for our own free speech. Rather than immediately resorting to legal action or seeking intervention from authority figures, individuals should respond with their own message and defend their viewpoint through the use of free speech.
