Las Vegas Sun

November 14, 2009

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Letter: Free speech is imperiled by too much sensitivity

Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003 | 8:57 a.m.

Are there any statements we as individuals can make in this day and age, especially if you're in the limelight, without getting into trouble? Our First Amendment works very well for the majority of those crying foul when not liking someone's comment. But exercising free speech as a lone wolf can put you in deep water.

At least 25 percent of any statement made in public and carried by the media, no matter how trivial, will be offensive to someone, somewhere. If you're retired, remarks made most likely won't hurt you. If working, you will probably be asked to step down from your job or you will be fired, as the company you've worked for and stood behind for so many years will now not stand behind you because of publicity. Employers will side with the majority to avoid tension. You're guilty before being proven innocent.

In my 72 years I have never seen sensitivity running so high in people over remarks so trivial. People will accept no words of apology. They're like a vigilante mob. I've written hundreds of letters to newspapers and even with the First Amendment I'm careful not to offend anyone in the slightest way. If I did say something that could be interpreted by someone as offensive, no newspaper would print it.

CHARLES A. HAGEN

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