Sodom and Gomorrah: Destroyed for Homosexuality?

Many Christians believe that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for the sin and acceptance of homosexuality (Stewart). However, a careful reading of Scripture undermines this explanation. In Genesis 13:13, when Sodom is first condemned, Scripture merely says Sodom was wicked and great sinners against God. Later, in 18:20, it says that Sodom’s and Gomorrah’s sin was very grave. So we know the sin was really bad. But was it homosexuality?


In the original Sodom/Gomorrah account, the only reference to sexuality was that the men wanted Lot to give up the angels so they could “know” them. Lot responded by offering his virgin daughters to the men, which they rejected and tried to force the door. There are questions as to the men’s intentions, and some suggest that the men were merely concerned with a violation of the city’s vicious monetary regulations about visitors and guests based on verse 9. Either reading inserts preconceived views on the passage, which is not entirely clear either way. I personally believe the men wanted to rape the angels, based on Scripture’s often sexual connotation of the word “know.” But this reading absolutely cannot and does not support that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for homosexuality. Why?

Rape is forcible and unquestionably a violation of another’s rights, freedoms, and privacy (Rape). Therefore, even if the men of Sodom were intending to rape the angels, this does not at all bring homosexuality itself into question. But even their intentions are irrelevant! Verse 13 explicitly states that God had already decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah – this was why He sent the angels in the first place! So, based upon the Genesis account, Sodom’s sin for which they were punished could not have been their (questionable) desire to rape the angels.

There are many other references to Sodom and Gomorrah throughout Scripture. Abraham wanted God to spare the city, but God challenged Abraham to find even five righteous people, but Abraham couldn’t. Isaiah rails against his culture, likening them to Sodom and Gomorrah, saying that they worshipped false idols, brought sin into the temples, and neglected the poor. The solution for their sin was to learn to “do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause” (1:9-17). Ironically, “sodomy” is not even mentioned. Sodom’s sin is mentioned in Isaiah 3, 13, Jeremiah 23, 49, 50, Lamentations 4, Ezekiel 16, Amos 4, and Zephaniah 2, and the sin most often mentioned was their “pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy, they were haughty” and this was an abomination to God (Ezekiel 16:49-50). Jesus invoked Sodom and Gomorrah as examples of greed and neglect (Matthew 10, 11, Mark 10, 17). Paul showcases Sodom and Gomorrah in his argument for righteousness (Romans 9) and in his defense of God’s mercy in delivering Lot (2 Peter 2:7).

The only passage that mentions sexual impurity is in Jude, saying Sodom and Gomorrah “indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire” (1:7). The first clause “indulged in sexual immorality” is contingent upon the next; it is further defined by the second clause, “and pursued unnatural desire.” However, this is perhaps an over-simplified translation. The original text has “strange flesh.” The word strange, in Greek, means “different.” The word flesh, in Greek, literally means “meat” or “body.” This, coupled with the fact that they were “pursuing” it, lends itself to this interpretation: they had an unnatural infatuation with sexuality, and pursued it in any form. The object of their sexuality was unimportant to them as long as they gratified their sexual desires; they were overcome and controlled by their sexual desires. This interpretation would coincide with Paul’s warning not to be controlled by anything other than the Spirit “of love” (Ephesians 5:18), warnings throughout Scripture against greed and uncontrolled desire, and the Bible’s emphasis on monogamy and faithfulness.

What is absolutely clear is Sodom’s greed in relation to money and possessions to the exclusion and neglect of the poor and needy (Genesis 14, Isaiah 1, 3, 13, Ezekiel 16:49). So it would only make sense to add sexual greed to Sodom’s and Gomorrah’s indictment. Sodom’s and Gomorrah’s worship of their own desires and interests is a form of idolatry, which they’re condemned for in Isaiah 1:9-17. All of Sodom’s and Gomorrah’s sins could be summarized in this manner: They did not care about others; they were concerned only about themselves and their own gratification of their desires. According to Jesus (Matthew 22:37-40), love is the greatest commandment ever uttered. All others stem from and are subservient to this law, the law of love. And love defines God (1 John 4:8). So sin, generally defined as “contrary to God,” must necessarily be defined as un-love. Therefore, when Sodom and Gomorrah are consistently held up as one of history’s most infamous examples of sin and debauchery, one can only assume they were therefore the most infamous example of un-love.

Jesus’ focus was on serving others, and James says (1:27) that true and complete religion (service to God) is helping the poor, needy, and widows. As Ezekiel 16:49-50 makes it clear that Sodom and Gomorrah embodied anti-service to others, sinfulness, and un-love, then homosexuality could not have been the focus of this story. The only clear conclusion we can draw from this story is this: to truly serve God, we must serve others selflessly, sacrificially, and in complete love, looking only for their good. Sodom and Gomorrah have long been used by many Christians to justify intolerance towards homosexuals. These Christians’ usage of this example turns it on its head and preaches the exact opposite. They’ve taken the heart out of Christ’s message of love and used His illustration to fuel their un-love. The Christ they claim to follow has made it crystal clear (using their favorite example) that their suppression of those for whom Christ died is absolutely sinful. And this sin, not homosexuality, was the sin for which Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed.





Works Cited

David, Stewart. "Sodom and Gomorrah". Jesus-Is-Savior. 04/27/2010 .

ESV. Wheaton: Good News Publishers, 2002. (All Bible references are from the ESV.)

"Rape - Criminal Law". Find Law - Thompson/Reuters. 04/27/2010 http://criminal.findlaw.com/crimes/a-z/rape.html.

The 1960s: A Fair and Balanced Look

Jacob Oblak


Glenn Marvel

The US in the 1960s

5 May, 2010



The 1960s: A Fair and Balanced Look

DeGroot’s emphasis in his book “The Sixties Unplugged: A kaleidoscopic history of a disorderly decade” is unique (The Sixties Unplugged, p. 500). He argues that the Sixties “brought flowers, music, love, and good times. It also brought hatred, murder, greed, dangerous drugs, needless deaths, ethnic cleansing, neocolonialist exploitation, sound bite politics, sensationalism, a warped sense of equality, a bizarre notion of freedom, the decline of liberalism, and the end of innocence.” DeGroot is emphasizing the fact that although the Sixties have been idealized and romanticized, many negative attitudes and circumstances also occurred. And this is definitely true. No time period in history has ever been perfect or perfectly represented by historians. There has always been bias, always will be, and, to be fair, one must take the good with the bad.

One thing that was definite was this: war was a huge issue in the 1960s. Many were disillusioned with the government and its appeals to force, and many protested and rallied against the government. Dwight D. Eisenhower most likely played a large part in setting the stage for the 1960s. He had threatened China with nuclear weapons to gain a ceasefire in Korea and was a well-known five star general in World War II. His was an interesting presidency, which although peaceful, prepared the path for those to come. He enlarged social security, competed with the Soviet Union in space, and maintained pressure on them while engaging in the Cold War. His Eisenhower Doctrine, stating that America would “prepared to use armed force ... [to stop] aggression from any country controlled by international communism,” was an interesting spin off Roosevelt’s “walk softly and carry a big stick.”

Kennedy’s election was close, and showed that the ideals of the American people were shifting slowly but surely. More and more American’s were favoring civil rights legislation, welfare/social security, and generally more liberal candidates as evidenced by Congress’s democratic majority. Many promising factors were evident: more people than ever were making livable wage, unemployment had decreased, business was prospering, and the Cuban missile crisis had been averted.

There were notable and extreme exceptions to this change, however. Although the sixties began quite hopefully and economically promising, many Americans were completely opposed to the direction their country was taking. The Ku Klux Klan saw a resurgence in its membership and activities. Governors in southern states fought with the federal government on the issue of state’s rights concerning civil rights, from 1957’s “Little Rock Nine” incident to “The Stand in the Schoolhouse Door” in 1963. Unfortunately, much violence occurred, most of it directed towards the civil rights movement and its rallies. Many civil rights demonstrators and even workers were beaten by police and others, and much was caught on TV.

Kennedy, as did his predecessor Eisenhower, used federal influence and force to implement Congress’ and the Supreme Court’s decisions concerning civil rights. John F. Kennedy embodies DeGroot’s thesis. Kennedy is remembered by most for his support and galvanization of civil rights. He also distinguished himself in many ways. He is the first Roman Catholic president, the only to have won a Pulitzer Prize, and he dealt with an incredible amount of national and international crises during his three year presidency. Those included the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Bay of Pigs invasion, the building of the Berlin Wall, the Space Race, and as mentioned before, the Civil Rights Movement. Shortly before he was assassinated, he ordered the withdrawal of 1,000 troops from Vietnam.

Kennedy’s assassination rocked the nation. The youngest president to die in office, Kennedy’s motto “ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country” came to life in Kennedy’s death. Controversy remains concerning Kennedy’s death. Martin Luther King’s and Robert F. Kennedy’s assassinations also rocked America, but to a lesser degree. Kennedy was and is beloved by much of America. But the image that persists of Kennedy is his likeability, national acclaim, and positive contributions.

While he did play a large part in these issues, as DeGroot argues, Kennedy’s legacy has been romanticized to the point that many do not understand his flaws as well. He bought many copies of his own autobiography to make it appear to be selling well, perhaps in an effort to appear more credible. He and his Federal Bureau of Investigation (headed by J. Edgar Hoover) severely overreacted to the threat of communism by phone taps on Martin Luther King Jr.’s home. This not-so-subtle violation of the Fourth Amendment brought King under the close scrutiny of the government. Interestingly, Kennedy was as much a womanizer as was King. While this surveillance unearthed King’s sexual infidelity, it failed to show any communist ties or any illegality whatsoever.

Lyndon B. Johnson, Kennedy’s successor, took office when Kennedy died. He won the next election and made many positive changes that affected our nation’s progress toward equality. Johnson’s legacy remains far less known than Kennedy’s even though Johnson perhaps contributed more and implemented many of Kennedy’s own ideas. Congress continued its liberal trend and Johnson enjoyed its support. More riots and racism erupted during Johnson’s presidency, and he dealt with it well. Johnson even nominated the first African American Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall.

Johnson’s perhaps highest and most lasting goals confronted poverty at all levels and in all races. He built upon the already strong civil rights base and faced poverty head-on. His accomplishments include (but are not limited to) the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the 24th amendment, Medicare, Medicaid, the 25th amendment, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Higher Education Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Before his presidency, his Congressional political clout helped secure the civil rights acts of 1957 and 1960. Johnson’s Great Society was an amazing dream that captured the hearts of the American people, and garnered the support of the largely Democratic Congress.

Helping us understand exactly where LBJ was coming from, his Public Papers included an outline of his incredible goal, which was “to shatter forever not only the barriers of law and public practice, but the walls which bound the condition of many by the color of his skin. To dissolve, as best we can, the antique enmities of the heart which diminish the holder, divide the great democracy, and do wrong — great wrong — to the children of God.” This goal is worthy of any support, and it promotes justice wholeheartedly.

Lyndon B. Johnson’s legacy could be characterized as the polar opposite of John F. Kennedy’s. While JFK is romanticized for his great accomplishments, LBJ is demonized for his worst choice: the Vietnam War. True, the Vietnam War was a black mark for his presidency and for America as a result. Unfortunately for America, Johnson decided, immediately after Kennedy’s death, to rescind Kennedy’s withdrawal from Vietnam order. Johnson’s pursuit of the Vietnam War fueled America’s deep animosity towards government, war, and federal power, and gave justification to much of the hatred.

However, we can remember Johnson also for his undying commitment to education, which he believed held the cure to ignorance, hatred, and poverty. Unfortunately for Johnson, his Vietnam War obsession led to his fading from political power and clout. This also led to a decline in support of his Great Society goals, dreams, and ideals. Johnson’s one big mistake is why the Great Society crashed and burned and why his legacy is tainted, misremembered, and vilified.

There was much that went wrong in the 1960s. Included in any list would be overuse and abuse of drugs, “free sex,” and rebellion from government and authority in general. A reaction to these problems was the start of a new conservative movement that attempted to bring state’s rights, anti big government, and Christian morals back into the public eye and that eventually but partially enshrined capitalism and the American Dream into the Christian message. This movement was spearheaded by William Buckley, Barry Goldwater, George Wallace, and eventually Ronald Reagan. In general, they opposed the Great Society and its enlargement of federal government, and advocated a return to small government, big business, and religion.

Nixon’s Watergate scandal played a huge part in galvanizing this growing conservative religious movement. The nation had had enough of scandal and lies and wanted honesty, truth, and morality. This enabled the leaders of the new conservative movement to claim morals as their main platform upon which to contend politically. Religion became a staple in political discussion, and the political pendulum swung back towards the conservative right.

The 1960s encompassed both positive change and negative reactions. To fairly represent this decade, both the historian and learner must understand and include both good and bad in any discussion of the 1960s. DeGroot’s emphasis was on how much has been overlooked. His work is impressive and intriguing. So we must focus on the facts and arrange our ideas accordingly. Fairness is essential to understanding history, because without it we are left with only opinions.

Freedom of Speech - Essential to Free Society

Freedom of Speech:

Essential to Free Society











Jacob Oblak















Seminar in Educational Inquiry

Professor Genese Grill

April 21, 2010

Thesis and Outline



Thesis: America’s departure from the freedom of speech in favor of hate speech crime legislation and corporate speech necessitates an even more rigorous defense of free speech.



1. Hate Speech

A. First Amendment

B. Founding Fathers and Freedom

C. Forcing Morality

D. From Speech to Thought Crimes

E. Feeling Good

2. Corporate Speech

A. Individual vs. Corporation

B. Free Speech vs. Corporations

C. People’s money vs. Corporations

D. Oligarchy and Corporations



























Jacob Oblak

Genese Grill

Educational Inquiry

04/21/2010





Freedom of Speech – Essential to Free Society





America has many values gleaned from both the past and the present. America contains much diversity of race, religion, and lifestyle. Yet there is one bedrock principle that precedes any of this diversity: the freedom of speech. Without this freedom of speech, true democracy would fall, and with it all other freedoms. Today, two ways in which freedom of speech is undermined are manifested with widespread support of hate speech legislation and the current Supreme Court’s handling of corporations’ rights. These disturbing trends result in America’s departure from the freedom of speech in favor of hate speech crime legislation and corporate speech and necessitate an even more rigorous defense of free speech from those who wish to remain free.

Arguing that the First and Fourteenth Amendments protected Whitney’s right to teach syndicalism and retain membership in the Communist Labor Party, Supreme Court Justice Brandeis articulated one of the most rigorous defenses of free speech:

Those who won our independence believed that the final end of the state was to make men free to develop their faculties, and that in its government the deliberative forces should prevail over the arbitrary. They valued liberty both as an end and as a means. They believed liberty to the secret of happiness and courage to be the secret of liberty. They believed that freedom to think as you will and to speak as you think are means indispensable to the discovery and spread of political truth; that without free speech and assembly discussion would be futile; that with them, discussion affords ordinarily adequate protection against the dissemination of noxious doctrine; that the greatest menace to freedom is an inert people; that public discussion is a political duty; and that this should be a fundamental principle of the American government… They did not exalt order at the cost of liberty. (U.S. Supreme Court)

Brandeis argues brilliantly that America cannot enjoy its political freedom without the basic right to free speech. Free speech is protected against government intrusion in any circumstance except slander or sedition. Brandeis defines Miss Whitney’s felony as essentially teaching syndicalism (Whitney), which “is a radical political movement that advocates bringing industry and government under the control of labor unions,” according to Princeton University (WordNet). However, the Supreme Court decided in 1927 that individuals are free to advocate anything they wish as long as they refrain from sedition and slander.

Deborah M. Galvin, behavioral science PHD and director of the federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, might disagree. She, and Many Americans with her, argues that our government must regulate speech so as to eliminate hurtful speech (Galvin). And to some extent, she is correct. If by hurting others with words she means slander (falsehood that injures), sedition (advocating violent overthrow of government), or advocating violence towards others in just about any way, she’s right - throw the book at them and bring the law after them. The Constitution prohibits those activities. But if a Ku Klux Klansman wants to stand on the street corner and yell about supposed white supremacy, one can choose not to walk down that street; one can choose not to listen; and one can choose to blare music over his insanity – personal rights have not been breached. His words could offend if one chose to listen to him. Even if the listener was white, what the KKK person would say that about fellow brothers and sisters would still hurt. But again, he has neither violated any freedoms or rights, nor committed slander, sedition, or advocating violence.

While at first glance hate speech may appear to be slander, this is not the case. Slander is legally defined as “A false defamation … which injures the character or reputation of the person defamed (Lectric).” This is the legal definition of hate speech:

Hate speech is a communication that carries no meaning other than the expression of hatred for some group, especially in circumstances in which the communication is likely to provoke violence. It is an incitement to hatred primarily against a group of persons defined in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and the like. Hate speech can be any form of expression regarded as offensive to racial, ethnic and religious groups and other discrete minorities or to women.

(Hate Speech)

And there are two major differences. Hate speech is simply verbally attacking someone's social or ethnic group. Slander is false defamation that results in injury. The first major difference is that slander is, by definition, false. The attack the slanderer makes is inherently, intrinsically false. The second major difference is that slander results in injury. Therefore, slander is not equal to hate speech. Slander is legally prohibited; hate speech is protected under the First Amendment.

America's apparent disregard for our first amendment rights is scary. Most of the founding fathers refused to agree to the Constitution until it was agreed that there would be a Bill of Rights, and New Hampshire and North Carolina refused to sign it until the Bill of Rights was actually added (Constitution). The founders declared (in the Declaration of Independence) “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” “Only among these” means that there are more. In fact, according to historians, John Dickinson, among others, refused to even sign the Declaration of Independence because they hadn't written out what exactly those rights were. He wanted a Bill of Rights before he'd sign (Bloy).

Today, many have forgotten what it was like to not be guaranteed free speech – about anything. Once government limits free speech in one area, then restrictions will spread to other areas like a cancer. Once government says the Ku Klux Klan member cannot speak his mind on the street corner in public, then it must also ban any books or websites that spread his viewpoint. Limits will not stop at racist speech – limitation will stretch to other places no one thought it would, or would want it to. Once free speech is taken away, it will be almost impossible to regain it.

A notable example of free speech gone hateful is in Westboro Baptist Church’s protests. According to the Anti Defamation League, the members of Fred Phelps’ family and other members of his church protest at a variety of functions, including funerals, weddings, schools, twitter headquarters, and generally anything involving homosexuals. They claim to be Christian, Baptist, Calvinistic, and preach the Bible. Yet they’ve been captured on TV, YouTube, and documentaries screaming and swearing at anyone who comes within earshot, raising signs that say: “God hates fags,” “God hates America,” “Thank God for dead soldiers,” “God is your enemy,” “9-11 a gift from God,” “Don’t pray for the USA.” They believe that military deaths in Iraq are God’s punishment for America’s acceptance of homosexuality (Westboro Baptist Church).

According to CNN, Westboro was sued in 2007 by the Snyder family, after Westboro protested at the funeral of Albert Snyder’s son Matthew who died in Iraq. Originally, the Snyders won the case and were awarded about eleven million dollars, which was later reduced to five million. On federal appeal, the decision was reversed, and the Snyders were told to pay court fees, totaling more than sixteen thousand dollars. The US Supreme Court has recently agreed to hear the case (Grinberg).

Westboro’s actions are indeed heinous. Many Americans, if not most, would agree that the Supreme Court should rule against them. This, however, does not take into consideration the First Amendment, which explicitly states that there can be no law “abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble.” Westboro has not employed violence, and have merely expressed in writing and in speech their views. The Supreme Court cannot rule against them without overturning the First Amendment. A free society must, on occasion, permit what it hates in order to maintain its freedom.

Some get so caught up in the fact that Westboro members are admittedly intending to hurt the feelings of others that many rush to limit the speech of those who are abusing their freedom to speak. However, in doing so, they fail to see where this inevitably leads our nation: a 1984 society. If calling a colored person a racist name is illegal, why isn't calling a white person a name? Why isn't saying Westboro's members are closed-minded bigots not wrong? They are, after all! We must understand that calling Westboro members closed-minded bigots is no less insulting than calling a colored person a racist name. Somehow America has justified one and not the other. Social norms dictate to the majority of Americans that racism is wrong, and it is. But unfortunately many try to fight it on a political front by making laws against it. Any insult to anyone is equal to racist hate speech. For instance, when people call G. W. Bush an idiot, they are just as guilty of hate speech as the racist or homophobic guy down the street. They cannot limit his free speech while allowing themselves more freedom. It will not always stay that way. If those with whom society disagrees are not free to speak their minds, then eventually society’s freedoms will be limited to the same degree. In other words, American society cannot have its cake and eat it too. Those who wish to censor the hateful speech they find abhorrent will eventually lose their own freedom to speak when the power decides their speech is abhorrent. As Charles Levendosky, a well-known poet and writer, articulated, “Those who censor others, eventually censor themselves…. As the great First Amendment scholar Alexander Meiklejohn put it … “To be afraid of any idea is to be unfit for self-government” (qtd. Williams 174-175).

The only solution for hate speech is more speech, reasonable speech. As Thomas Jefferson put it, “error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it” (Jefferson). In Westboro’s case, many different methods have been employed. Counter-protests have been staged across the nation in defiance of Westboro’s hatred, and as shown in the news, Westboro’s hate has been outstaged and silenced by loud singing (Kreiger), revving motorcycles (Donovan), and hysterically funny nonsense signs (Stopera). These groups apply their own freedom of speech in a positive way, presenting viewers with an alternative to Westboro’s speech. Both forms of speech are legally valid, and as a free society we must be free to think and believe as we wish. The only logical extension from freedom of thought is the freedom to express that thought.

Defenders of hate speech legislation could argue that hate speech should be illegal because it crosses the line between negativity of some thing and some one. To clarify, they could argue that it’s ok to voice a negative view about a subject, but not about a person. However, to outlaw hate speech on the grounds that it’s negative towards another person is hypocritical. By definition, vocal disapproval of the person employing hate speech is the very “crime” the first person committed. In other words, by saying, “you shouldn't be hateful” to the man who said “you shouldn't live a life of homosexuality,” they commit the very act they abhor.

Besides, if someone said to a homosexual that being homosexual is sinful, you can bet they're going to understand that I disapprove of their lifestyle – it's now personal. There's no way to express that opinion without it becoming personal the second it is voiced. The very fact that he believes homosexuality sinful means that he also believes that the homosexual is wrong for practicing it. There's no way around it. Granted, believing that homosexuality is wrong does not preclude continuing to love homosexuals in spite of disagreement. But legally there's no difference. Free speech doesn't stop at opinions of lifestyles in a vacuum – it applies to opinions about people, to people, and with people. Freedom of speech is very personal. And freedom of speech is absolutely necessary to maintaining freedom itself.

The bottom line is this: a free society cannot censor its citizens’ speech –“censorship reflects a society's lack of confidence in itself. It is a hallmark of an authoritarian regime,” as Supreme Court Justice Stewart dissented in 1965. To censor is to relinquish freedom. The Founders initiated a free society based firmly on a government prohibited from passing any law infringing upon its citizens’ freedom of thought, speech, and expression.

America faces enough of these attacks on freedom of speech. However, adding to the frenzy, freedom of speech is also being assaulted by the current Supreme Court’s errant views and rulings regarding corporations’ rights. The Supreme Court, in January, decided to allow corporations to use their treasury funds to run political influence campaigns through mailings, TV ads, and numerous other avenues. Many, like the president of the League of Women Voters in New Jersey Anne Maiese, believe this opens wide the gates for corporate manipulation of federal elections and democracy can now be bought and sold (Maiese). This situation will play out in upcoming elections, and the extent and scope of this decision will be obvious. Special interest groups with billions of dollars, according to this decision, my now heavily advertise and promote to their advantage. While consistent with his usual over-the-top fashion, Keith Olbermann succinctly outlined the probable if not inherent outcomes of this decision. He argued that in spite of the Supreme Court’s insistence that their decision upheld free speech, the voice of the individual, and therefore the voice of the people, can and will be smothered, successfully eliminating freedom of speech itself (Olbermann).

Anna Burger, America’s Secretary Treasurer of the Service Employees International Union, goes even further:

There can be no doubt: The voice of everyday working Americans in the political process will be muted. How can they compete for airtime with the deep pockets of multinational corporations? The court's decision has said loud and clear that Mr. Smith has no business in Washington -- that seat's been sponsored by Wal-Mart.

(Burger, qtd in Who)

Even if freedom of speech were not under attack with this ruling, it would be a cause of great concern to the safety of the democracy of the United States. Most of us have heard the old saying that “politics follows the Golden Rule...those who have the gold, rule,” but this decision by our Supreme Court takes it to a whole new level. Allowing corporations, usually owned and run by one person or one small group of persons, to spend however much they want essentially allows them to buy votes. The riches of these corporations, derived from the public’s pockets, can now be spent to further the interests of big business and big government. Consumers, who must spend their money to buy necessities like food and clothing, now must stand helplessly watching as those corporations use their money funding political campaigns the consumers may or may not favor. In effect, with our money go our vote and our voice, exiting the hands of the people and landing squarely in the lap of the executive upper class on Wall Street.

But in the end, it’s really not even about anyone’s preferences. This decision affects the very freedom of speech the Supreme Court claimed to defend. With this decision, the individual’s freedom of speech is now limited by the fact that he’s only an individual. He’s still allowed to speak, but it's roughly the equivalent of telling him that he’s allowed to voice his opinion – and then turning music up to 300 decibels and starting the vacuum! The individual’s voice, albeit free to speak, carries no weight and therefore cannot affect any change because it cannot be heard. According to Russ Feingold, senator from Wisconsin, “this decision gives a green light to corporations to unleash their massive coffers on the political system. The profits of Fortune 500 companies in 2008 alone were 350 times the entire amount spent on the last presidential election” (Feingold, qtd in Who). Suddenly the corporations’ "freedom of speech" (run by a select few with the power, control, and money) carries millions of times more weight (in American dollars) than does the average person’s freedom. So by multiplying the effect of the corporations’ “free” speech, the Court has divided the individual’s by the same number, seriously diminishing his ability to have any effect at all. And individuals’ free speech is not alone in its suffering. “The voices of candidates and political parties just got much quieter” as well, according to Ben Ginsberg, national counsel to the Bush-Cheney presidential campaigns of 2000 and 2004 (Ginsberg, qtd in Who).

Therefore, while claiming to defend free speech, this Supreme Court decision has upended the balance of free speech in favor of Wall Street and the big corporations who run it. The Supreme Court has severely missed the point by deciding that corporations’ voices should be allowed to drown out the people’s voice. This decision reeks of oligarchy, promises even more future political greed, and guarantees that politicians and votes will be bought and pocketed like never before. And the recipient of this suppression of free speech will be, as always, the people.

Today’s society attacks freedom of speech in many ways. Both legislation prohibiting hate speech and allowing corporations individual free speech rights undermine America’s freedoms. This dangerous trend can only be diverted by the people for whom the Constitution was written. We, the American people, have the incredible responsibility to protect freedom of speech at any cost – other freedoms exist only because the people exercised their free speech. Free speech precludes other freedoms, and therefore must be protected at any cost.





















Works Cited













Bloy, Marjie. "John Dickinson, who refused to Sign". A Web of English History. 04/26/2010 .

"The Constitution". The White House. 04/21/2010 .

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Galvin, Deborah M. “Hate Speech - Violence & Substance Abuse Prevention.” 2004. Online Powerpoint. Samha.gov. 26 April 2010. www.workplace.samhsa.gov/Prevention/Pages/Docs/hate-speech.ppt.

"GINZBURG V. UNITED STATES, 383 U. S. 463 (1966)". US Supreme Court Center. 04/21/2010 .

Grinberg, Emanuella. “Dead Marine's father ordered to pay protesters' legal costs”. CNN. 4/20/2010 .

"Hate Speech Law & Legal Definition". US Legal Definitions. 04/26/2010 .

Jefferson, Thomas. “The Papers of Thomas Jefferson”. Princeton University. 04/20/2010 .

Kreiger, Lisa. “Palo Alto school greets protesters with song, signs”. Mercury News. 04/20/2010 .

“The Lectric Law Library”. 'Lectric Law Library's Lexicon. 04/20/2010 .

Maiese, Anne. "Supreme Court Decision Endorses Corporate Manipulation of Election Outcomes". League of Women Voters in New Jersey. 04/26/2010 .

Olbermann, Keith. "Olbermann: U.S. government for sale". MSNBC. 04/26/2010 .

Stopera, Matt. “The 30 Best Anti-Westboro Baptist Church Protest Signs”. Buzz Feed. 04/20/2010 .

"U.S. Supreme Court: Whitney v People of State of California , 274 U.S. 357 (1927)". FindLaw: For Legal Professionals. 04/21/2010 .

"Who is helped, or hurt, by the Citizens United decision?". The Washington Post. 04/26/2010 .

"Westboro Baptist Church ". Anti Defamation League. 04/20/2010 .

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