Free Speech Is A Misnomer
American National Public Radio picked up an interesting story.
New Jersey Transit will rehire a man who was fired after burning a Quran. The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey brought a suit on behalf of Derek Fenton, who was fired for burning a Quran last year on the ninth anniversary of 9/11.
The gist of the story is that a transit worker who was not at work attended a protest at the site of the planned Islamic center in lower Manhattan. In that capacity he was a private citizen with all the rights, privileges and apparently non of the responsibilities that come with being a US Citizen.
Since he wasn't at work. And since he didn't link himself with his job. He cannot be fired for what he did.
Read the story here.
I don't know about the legality of the situation. But what I am sure of is the days of being able to separate private and public life have long since past.
I have private Facebook and Twitter Accounts. They are under my name and not the church's. However, rest assured that what I say and do reflects on my church (my employer) and my God (my boss). There is no "I was off duty".
That's really the way it has always been with God. It's just that with the advent of technology, everyone and everywhere has caught up.
The New Jersey Transit worker may have his job back. But everyone knows about his protest. Co-workers. Friends. Bosses. And all the people who use the transit system. Free speech is a misnomer. Speech is costly, even if it is legally permissible.
My hope is that the worker will repent and use some of his freedom of expression to do the Christian thing and love his enemies instead of trying to silence them.
New Jersey Transit will rehire a man who was fired after burning a Quran. The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey brought a suit on behalf of Derek Fenton, who was fired for burning a Quran last year on the ninth anniversary of 9/11.
The gist of the story is that a transit worker who was not at work attended a protest at the site of the planned Islamic center in lower Manhattan. In that capacity he was a private citizen with all the rights, privileges and apparently non of the responsibilities that come with being a US Citizen.
Since he wasn't at work. And since he didn't link himself with his job. He cannot be fired for what he did.
Read the story here.
I don't know about the legality of the situation. But what I am sure of is the days of being able to separate private and public life have long since past.
I have private Facebook and Twitter Accounts. They are under my name and not the church's. However, rest assured that what I say and do reflects on my church (my employer) and my God (my boss). There is no "I was off duty".
That's really the way it has always been with God. It's just that with the advent of technology, everyone and everywhere has caught up.
The New Jersey Transit worker may have his job back. But everyone knows about his protest. Co-workers. Friends. Bosses. And all the people who use the transit system. Free speech is a misnomer. Speech is costly, even if it is legally permissible.
My hope is that the worker will repent and use some of his freedom of expression to do the Christian thing and love his enemies instead of trying to silence them.
