Silence is not an option

by fmhilton

Recently, someone warned me that I should be careful of what I write about the NSA-because they might be watching and retaliate.

I replied to that with “I will continue to write what I want, when I want and about what I want for as long as I can.”

In other words, I will not stop writing about the NSA, or other ‘sensitive’ stuff for fear of the consequences to myself.

Because in this country we have a Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and thought.

It means that I can write anything I want (with some notable exceptions, of course) for public consumption without being in fear for my life or liberty.

I am a journalist, believe it or not. Writing in this format makes me one, and one of the functions of a journalist is to write the truth as it is.

It means that my words have as much validity as anything the New York Times prints, or my local paper. I serve the public interest by writing on subjects that people will read about.

This is why it is so important to speak up on things that might be controversial or sensitive:

Silence is not an option, and to remain silent out of fear for consequences is the ultimate betrayal of our Constitution.

There is a saying that applies here:

Stand up for something, even if you stand alone.