Freedom pie is bland

I really like the freedom of speech.\nI am glad it is being put in the care packages that our troops are risking their lives to bring to the Iraqi and Afghan people. It's a main ingredient in the freedom pie Bush wants to bake in the Middle East. Since the founding of our nation, it has worked pretty well for us. Freedom of speech has allowed us to evolve as a nation, to talk about flaws in our democracy and to walk and picket until we change them. Freedom of speech seems to me like a pretty good idea.\nBut it seems freedom of speech means different things to different people.\nSince 9/11, journalists practicing their craft have come under fire. Anyone with a bit of chutzpah, who dares to question the acts of the government, is portrayed as "anti-American." The First Amendment guarantees them the freedom to speak, but lately, journalists need to exercise that freedom with care. \nOn the other hand, there are reporters who don't let facts influence their worldview, and don't really use their First Amendment rights. Take, for example, the fine employees working at Fox News. These "reporters" have been given the approval of the government and the attention of the masses, showing other stations what they need to do to compete. News is a business, and this has led to news stations self-limiting their freedom of speech in order to stay profitable. \nThomas Jefferson said "the freedom of speech cannot be limited without being lost."\nIn this increasingly "free" nation, it seems the sins of the father are being passed onto the son, and self-censorship is the trend. According to a www.cnn.com article, one-third of U.S. high school students think the right to free speech is excessive. Half of the students would not be against a press system in which the government has control the stories newspapers publish. Who is teaching these kids?\nThis trend in news and education seems positively medieval. What's next -- schools starting to teach creationism? \nI hate to be a nag, but wake up, people, and smell the world around you. There is no greater act of patriotism than loving your country enough to question its actions. \nHow can the thought even cross people's mind that there should be exceptions to freedom of speech? Why would you want news that just reinforces your own beliefs, instead of challenging you to really understand what is happening in the world? I understand it is comforting to be told everything our government does is proper and correct, but don't blind yourself to truth when it doesn't automatically agree with your personal values. \nAmerica is a very special country. Sure, we make mistakes, our policies can be heavy-handed and we can be hypocritical. It has happened that we have invaded countries under false pretexts. But because of freedom of speech, the world can see there are Americans who didn't agree with those policies. To the world, and in America itself, many times, having guaranteed freedom of speech has been our saving grace. \nI'm sorry to be political here, but conservatives especially need to be very careful right now. They try to silence voices of opposition with criticism and hate; they need to remember that in a functioning democracy there can be more than one point of view and just because an opinion is contrary to theirs, it is not necessarily wrong. \nIt is of vital importance that we never tamper with the First Amendment. There is no partisan angle to the Constitution; Republicans and Democrats should always stand together defending the freedom of speech in all forms.