Land of the Free, But Not for the Brave

Contrary to popular opinion abroad, America remains to be a very conservative society. While the state values and upholds each of its citizen’s right to freely express himself or herself, this right has been deemed to be not absolute.

Take for example the right to stage a protest. Everybody has a right to go to the streets and profess his dismay over the way things are going or being done in government. However, the protest should be done in an orderly manner. In some cases, permits would have to be secured from the local government concerned.

Not everybody is aware of the limitations, though. Indeed, the qualifications or exceptions to the rule are mostly lodged in the federal and local statute books and not in the Constitution. Some can be found in the decisions promulgated by the courts.

I’m not a lawyer, but I think it’s safe to say that the exceptions to the freedom of speech, of the press, and of choice refer to cases or instances wherein the rights or lives of others might be harmed or disrupted. If this is the exception that the law contemplates, then I’m all for it. The exercise of a constitutional right should not result in the violation of another.

This opinion or stand of mine has recently been tested or questioned by an incident in Largo City where government officials are contemplating on firing their city manager due to the latter’s plan of undergoing a sex change.

I’m a Catholic, and I’m fully aware of the Church’s stand on gender change. However, I’m of the opinion that it’s every citizen’s right to choose how he should take care of his body. If persons are allowed to undergo surgery for certain bodily enhancements without employment repercussions, then how come Largo City manager Steve Stanton has been threatened to be fired if he pushes through with his intention of undergoing a gender change? I think the city council overreacted on Stanton’s revelation. They should heavily consider his sterling track record as a city manager before they make a decision.