As a writer and an American citizen, I strongly support freedom of expression. I support a person\u2019s right to submerge a cross in a jar of urine and call it art. I support peoples\u2019 right to gather in protest or support gun control. I support a movie studio\u2019s right to naively believe there would be no blow-back from a tyrant they fantasize about killing\u2014all in good fun of course. (I\u2019m going on the current belief that NoKo is behind the cyberattack and actually threatened violence against movie-goers had \u201cThe Interview\u201d been released.)<\/p>\n
Our Constitution\u2019s First Amendment is a hallmark of this nation, so let\u2019s be clear on what this entails.<\/p>\n
Some Americans believe that freedom of speech means saying whatever we want without having to suffer consequences. God forbid we should be persecuted for expressing opinions or art!<\/p>\n
Reality check #1: <\/strong>This is the age of instantaneousness and permanence. Anything we publish in the public domain can rocket around the world in minutes and stay there. Forever. Even long after we no longer support an idea we once espoused. Can we really expect not <\/em>to get some flak for expressing unpopular or potentially incendiary things? And you can forget about thinking that even the most secure cyber systems could never fall victim to hackers.<\/p>\n Some Americans believe Sonygate sets a precedent for other rogue nations to trounce on our First Amendment rights with impunity (read George Clooney\u2019s response<\/a>.) I feel a show coming on; we could call it \u201cDPRK Military Uniform is the New Black.\u201d<\/p>\n Reality check #2: <\/strong>Despite our love affair with freedom of speech, our nation itself hasn\u2019t always freely allowed expression for all. Today, homosexuals and peaceful Muslims are attacked. Not so long ago Blacks were targeted\u2014and still are\u2014for expressing their right to be human beings. A little farther back, it wasn\u2019t safe to be a Jew or a Catholic or a woman, nor German, Japanese, or Italian during the world wars.<\/p>\n Some Americans think canceling the release of a film equates to being held hostage by those who deny freedoms to their own people. Hey, this is the land of the free and the brave!<\/p>\n Reality check #3: <\/strong>Americans have been held hostage in the current age since the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. You cannot freely walk into the Capitol building and watch your legislators, whom you pay, ruin, er run<\/em>, this country. If you try walking up the Capitol\u2019s steps beyond a certain point, you will be shot dead by snipers who patrol from the roof. Hmm, sounds like a scenario in a dictatorship. You can\u2019t even go to a museum on the Mall in DC\u2014a museum!\u2014without going through a metal detector and having your handbag searched.<\/p>\n Does this mean we shouldn\u2019t publicly express ourselves or not make art because it might offend someone? Does it mean we should throw people in jail for not respecting the First Amendment? Does it mean we shouldn\u2019t take precautions to safeguard against the reality of bomb attacks and mad shooters? No, no, and no. But it does mean we should take a good look at ourselves before charging in on our tall steed crying “betrayal.” That horse headed out the barn and over the hill ages ago. We are outraged by a film\u2019s cancellation but are in no hurry to defend real victims of persecution in our own country.<\/p>\n It also doesn\u2019t mean Hollywood should stop making inane films for cheap laughs. But let\u2019s be honest, Hollywood isn\u2019t just in the entertainment business. The American film industry has a huge influence<\/a> on the world, sometimes shaping beliefs and even informing politics. For this reason alone, Hollywood should be more careful about what it produces.<\/p>\n If \u201cThe Interview\u201d were a documentary or an expos\u00e9, the conversation would be different. (Sony, why didn\u2019t you just change the script to a fictitious country with a fictitious leader? Can you really expect to court the devil without being burned?) The world isn\u2019t going to be a lesser place for not having seen \u201cThe Interview\u201d; serious issues aren\u2019t being swept under the carpet. Yes, some people won\u2019t get their form of art up on the silver screen. The Yellow Brick Road is paved with tough-luck tales.<\/p>\n Instead of seeing this as hostage-taking of American liberties, why not use it as an opportunity to give more thought to our intention<\/em> behind expressing an idea, thought, opinion, or art and the consequences of doing so? This is an especially useful exercise for public figures and entities whose\u2014by extension\u2014expressions have potentially greater effects on a greater number of people, including internationally.<\/p>\n The First Amendment entitles us to freedom of expression. It does not, however, entitle us to freedom from responsibility. So here\u2019s my pitch for a new Hollywood film titled \u201cMr. Smith Goes to Pyongyang\u201d:<\/p>\n Hollywood funny guy visits a rogue nation with the intent of making their people laugh at a topic that they clearly find offensive, and, after a series of hilarious mishaps\u2014including almost getting killed\u2014learns that just because you can<\/em> say something, doesn\u2019t mean you should<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"