Ah yes, the first amendment! The first thing that every person living in the United States goes to when they want to defend their opinions. It goes right up there with the love of the second amendment.
This past week has been nothing short of wild events where the power of speech has come into play. From award shows, to press conferences, to online publications, the power of speaking one's mind is both a blessing and a curse. It's a power that has both been cherished and abused. And it is a power that constantly has people talking.
If you watched The Golden Globes, you know what I;m talking about. The 74th Annual Golden Globes took place on Sunday, January 8th honoring the best in film and television released in 2016.
One of the night's honorees was actress Meryl Streep. She was honored with the Cecil B. Demille Lifetime Achievement Award, an award that honors the actors/actresses contribution to the world of entertainment.
Streep used her acceptance speech to call out President-Elect Donald Trump without even stating his name on his actions of mocking a disabled reporter of the New York Times Serge F. Kovaleski. She states that "Disrespect invited disrespect. Violence incites violence. When powerful people use their position to bully we all lose".
Powerful in her speech, Streep's acceptance speech was shared on many social media sites within minutes. Her speech has received both praise and criticism.
President-Elect Donald Trump responded to Streep's speech by calling her "overrated" and that "for the 100th time, I have never mocked a disabled reporter".
Recently, Trump commented on the remarks of Representative John Lewis after Lewis made remarks that Trump "was not a legitimate President" Trump replied that Lewis was "all talk". Lewis is known for his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement, so I'm sure Lewis is more than just "talk".
With criticism of Streep's speech such as "she is a rich, Hollywood actress why does she have a right to say anything?" it got me thinking, " aren't celebrities, and sports stars and musicians who live in the United States have a right to speak their minds about the country that they live in"? I mean, it is their right.
It doesn't matter if we are just an average Joe or a celebrity, we all have the right to speak our minds and form our own opinions. If we see something that concerns us, we have the right to say something. Therefore, when it comes to Streep's speech and Lewis's remarks, more power to them if they wants to voice thier concerns. And more power to Trump if he wants to voice his when he is criticized. It is their right to do so.
We the people have the right to speak our minds. Love it or hate it, our voices can be reached far beyond our expectations. Just think of the many great leaders of this world both past and present who have influenced us.
I am always open to hearing other opinions whether I agree or disagree. People see things differently from our own eyes and as much as it baffles us, it leads to discussions (or Facebook arguments) about what is right and what is wrong.
The power of free speech, it's a true piece of work ladies and gentlemen.
