Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
First Amendment to the US Constitution
People seem to get confused about what the First Amendment actually says. It is a restriction upon the government.
It doesn’t address how we use this “freedom of speech”.
I keep having flashbacks to my university years when talk of responsibilities over rights sounded like the mutterings of old, crabby, conservative people trying to shut up young people with ideas. Well, those young Baby Boomers grew up to screw up a lot of stuff. But I learned the value of responsibility. Although I am now “old”, I am decidedly not conservative and hopefully not crabby. Well, in most regards. Maybe I just grew up.
Try these bits of Wisdom literature mostly 3,000 years old and just as relevant today.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19
When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but the prudent are restrained in speech.
Proverbs 10
Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a ruler.
Proverbs 17
Better the poor walking in integrity than one perverse of speech who is a fool.
Proverbs 19
Do you see someone hasty in speech? There is more hope for a fool than someone like that.
Proverbs 29
I can take a hint. I have no more to say today. Peace.
Faith Venture 
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