Freedom from Offensive Speech – Sunday, July 10, 1949
As a society of men we have learned, in part at least, to protect ourselves against many things. Those who commit theft or violence, we endeavor to isolate. Against hazards to public health or safety, we invoke quarantines and provide other appropriate protection and penalties. But there are some things against which we have not been so effective in protecting ourselves—one of which is offensive speech. If we were to spread poison where people were likely to be exposed or injured, we would expect severe penalties.
But there are many situations in which people are thrown together, publicly and privately, when the speech of one is of necessity heard by all—and those who befoul the moral and intellectual atmosphere with offensive utterances are polluting the air as surely as if they were to spread a physical poison. Sometimes young people, sometimes all of us, think it won’t hurt us to be exposed to foul mental fare. We think we can listen or look as we choose, withdraw our attention when we choose, and forget what we choose. But the impressions left upon our minds persist, and are often recalled under circumstances beyond our control. The defacement of a piece of property or a work of art is a punishable offense. But how much more despicable is the deliberate marring of the mind and memories of man! Of course, we cannot isolate ourselves from life. As long as we live with others, we shall see and hear things which are not to our liking and which are not of our choosing.
But let no man who deliberately smears his own thoughts, or the thoughts of others, take any comfort in the supposed assurance that he or anyone else can forget what he wants to when he wants to. There are many who would give much to forget some of the things they have seen or heard. Surely it would seem that our need to protect ourselves from mental infection is at least as great as our need for protection against physical hazards. Freedom of speech is a glorious right and privilege—but indecent speech is an abuse of freedom.
Revised
“The Spoken Word,” heard over Radio Station K S L and. the nationwide Columbia Broadcasting System, from the Tabernacle, Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Sunday, July 10, 1949, 11:30 to 12:00 noon, Eastern Time. Copyright 1949
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July 10, 1949
Broadcast Number 1,038