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Free speech, right to worship

In high school I had a law class and the teacher talked about the constitution and “right to free speech.” He went on to say if a person shouted “fire” in a crowded movie house and everyone was trying to get to safety — many were injured. The case ended up in court and the person who did the shouting stated the constitution guarantees me the “right to free speech.” The judge said something like it does, however one has to use “common sense” in exercising that right — you used bad judgment — guilty!

As for the right to worship, Kat Yager of Moscow said in a letter to the editor “we have a right to peaceably assemble and to practice our religion. No one, not local, state or federal government should infringe on the right (or any other), not even during a pandemic.” She said what she did because Holli Cooper submitted a letter to the editor complaining about a large gathering over the weekend at the Nazarene church in Moscow. (The cars in the parking lot belonged to Christ Church members)

I wonder if the church leaders were taken to court because of having such a large gathering during a pandemic the judge might say one needs to use “common sense” because the virus can be spread easily in crowds. Then when attendees go out into the community the virus spreads faster than usual.

Jim Kuska
Moscow

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