Freedom of speech keeps the book available, even though“ fighting words” which incite or provoke violence have remained unprotected since 1942. In 2002, Planned Parenthood won a lawsuit because names of doctors and their families were being posted on an anti-abortion website, even though the website itself made no threats, nor explicitly or implicitly encouraged or even condoned any violence against anyone. Just the circumstances alone were enough to convince the court that the speech constituted a“ true threat,” and hence it was deemed illegal. How a book which explicitly explains what weapons are best for beating children does not constitute a“ true threat” is beyond me.
Plenty of Blame to Go Around
I had always had my doubts about their religion, even as a small child. Mom used to read to me and my older sister every night from a children’ s Bible complete with illustrated stories— which looked just like a comic book. The stories read like one too. I knew Thor and Spiderman weren’ t real and this didn’ t seem any different. A rib turned into a woman? Snakes talk? People can live inside whales? All the animals on a boat? Even as a child these things seemed silly, but the adults seemed to take it seriously enough and I thought maybe one day I might have some great revelation which would make it all make sense.
After that night I no longer wished for any great revelation. I saw my parent’ s religion for what it was, an excuse to justify violence and anything else that needed justifying. The cops left that night because although I was brave enough to tell, my sisters were too terrified to tell the truth with our parents standing right there in the room giving us the evil eye( fine police work there, Longview PD). I forgave my sisters a long time ago, and as time has passed, I have learned to forgive my mother and stepfather too.
My mother was a sophomore when she dropped out of high school to move out of her own abusive home and marry my dad. I was not yet 6 months old when he left her. She was simply unprepared for life and children. Mike was an angry and bitter drunk, who simply used the most convenient outlet for his anger.
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