Speaking Out

Is OK to use your celebrity to speak out about your personal views? How about your position in a church? or as an author? Is there an end to free speech?

During the last election, in particular, I heard much about the so called "Hollywood Liberal Elite" speaking out-of-turn, mostly in favor of John Kerry and other left-leaning candidates. I heard about how they had no right to use there "position" and ability to reach the masses to have their voices heard.

Today, CNN Political Ticker has this from Curt Schilling, a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, who famously pitched through pain and blood to help the Red Sox win the World series a few years ago: "

Curt Schilling, the Boston Red Sox's ace pitcher who campaigned for President Bush in 2004 against hometown Democratic Sen. John Kerry, told a Boston radio station Monday he is supporting Arizona Sen. John McCain for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination.

'I'm actually kind of excited about the fact that I think Sen. McCain is going to do something official here, and he's going to be the man I'm going to back as we move forward here, for sure, in this next round,' Schilling told Boston's WEEI-AM.

Schilling also criticized Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York -- one of McCain's potential rivals for the presidency -- over her public comments against the war in Iraq.

'As far as Hillary Clinton goes, I just want her to keep talking,' Schilling said. 'I just cringe every time I hear someone with a voice in the political scene talking out against the war. I am not for it, no ones for it, I just feel like -- especially someone like Hillary has to know that those comments have serious implications overseas for the men and women of the United States armed forces -- it scares the hell out of me.'

Schilling added that he will seek to pitch beyond the upcoming season, effectively ending speculation he is considering a Senate bid against Kerry in 2008."

Is it OK for him to say these thing because he isn't a liberal? It seems like such a false argument to take away someone's freedom of speech simply because they may have a larger platform than you do or, more likely, because they have something to say that you do not agree with. I don't agree with pretty much anything that Mr. Schilling had to say but I don't begrudge him the right to think and say what he beleives. And, I sure enjoyed watching him help the Red Sox win the World Series!