Believe it or not, and there is a growing segment of our nation that is clearly on the “not” side, Mike Heick is precisely the person that our Bill of Rights were written to protect.
Heick got into hot water in Amherst, N.Y, recently because of his response to his community “leaders” and to a group of Muslims who located next door to his property.
Heick, according to Associated Press reports, complained to public officials that a mosque was built to close to his property, based on zoning rules, apparently.
His reaction?
Well, in his frustration, Heick erected a sign.
According to the AP report, he “placed a sign reading ‘Bomb Making Next Driveway’ on the front lawn of his property along a heavily traveled road in the town of Amherst. The next driveway on the same side of the road is the entrance to the Jaffarya Center.”
Was it the smartest thing to do? Perhaps not.
Was it in good taste? That is also arguable.
But did he have the right to do so?
He most certainly did and does under our freedom of expression in this nation.
Our founders did not codify the elements of liberty in our Bill of Rights in order to protect speech that we all love.
They weren’t envisioning that “Bambi” or “Mary Poppins” would need protecting.
They were preserving our right to express ourselves.
Period.
According to the AP, the “mosque officials say the sign’s message is offensive.”
It may well be.
Much in free speech is.
Many of us are offended by aspects of this culture.
However, our American freedoms protect that speech.
The Bill of Rights were written for Mike Heick, and God help America if we ever forget it.
— Chuck Smith