SUPREME COURT RULING CHIPS AWAY AT CHERISHED FREEDOM OF SPEECH

The recent Supreme Court decision on the Bong Hits 4 Jesus case is
indicative of the dwindling personal freedoms which Americans are
guaranteed ("'Bong hits' student loses," June 26).

Young Joe Frederick, in my view, created a provocative yet vague
statement to attract attention. I admire his actions as a test of our
country's tolerance of free speech. Choose your own reaction. Punk?
Idiot? Comedian? Hero? It doesn't really matter now, does it? That's
the beauty of free speech.

His words did not injure, incite violence, or threaten public safety.
The tortured opinion of the court's slim majority proclaimed it
promoted drug use. Sweet Jesus, I think not.

The 5-4 opinion did reveal a growing intolerance of First Amendment
freedoms in this country, extending to the ludicrous "If you don't
support the war, why do you hate America?" This, citizens, is much
more dangerous than the image of sparking up with Jesus.

What, in His name, prevented the overzealous school principal from
calling up the boy's parents to tell them what a (nonviolent)
idiot-spectacle he made of himself that day, rather than imposing a
lengthy school suspension for an action that occurred off school
grounds for silly words on a banner?

The Supreme Court decision was wrong. Our congressional delegation is
perpetuating a wrong war. The Bush administration is criminally
negligent. Free speech indeed. Come get me.

- Monique Lussier

Anchorage