There once was a descendent of this man, a man of severity, of justice, and of power, yet his power came not through sword, nor spear, gun, nor title, but through the power of his tongue, his speech, his words, for they sung of an old song, a tale, or rather a hymn of glory to God the Father, of justice, its pillars, its force, its rectitude. A grandfather of the law yet a great grandson to it as well. For herein is the flaw of the law, that it requires men to bridge the minds of men to justice, to see the law within the law, or the flaws therein.
He spoke with eloquence, in sequence, in rhythm and in power, of justice and its nature, its effects, and its absence, to bring it within society, in relations, and government.
A case was before him, judge and criminal across him, a case against a man of innocence for proclaiming his faith in public, deemed a violation of the law, a violation of public order, creating unrest.
A good case, he thought, but it violates not only freedoms of this man, but of all those who ought to be able to speak of their faith freely without punitive threats.
The Law, he said, What is there written? What does it speak of, but the freedom of man’s speech? What doth the amendments say? Did we not forget them or count them as mere fairy tale? Herein I see a law, binding him to his conscience, that when he so sees fit, he may speak in freedom of heart and mind, to effect those who speak or to be ignored if so be.
He looked at the judge, and said, But unrest, emergency, violations to others’ peace of mind must come first, must it not?
For if we deem these amendments greater than maintaining public unrest, what becomes of social order? Nay, what becomes of me? Yet, this law is here written, the freedom of speech and that no man, nor government impede the religious freedom of the people.
Necessary it is for the law to precede this fantasy of public unrest, for is it truly so? Or merely subjective disturbance? An internal one, of the mind, which may be addressed by a psychologist? Nay, may these laws, which protect the speaker and also the listener never be brought to its knees, deliberating upon its effects on others to grant it its efficacy. For once this law, bows, so does the neck of mankind bow before the slaughter, the knife of oppression.
This, the greater evil, the vermin, the disease, a contagion ought to be ever before the mind. Let us not deliberate but obey the law for in making exceptions we slay it, like a murderer slays its victim or as a bandit steals treasure from the house.
Let us guard ourselves, and protect our treasure, the amendments today the first to the last, for herein I obey the law I consent to upon my assent to live upon this land, learned I am. For if ye make exceptions there is a rumbling beneath, endless and unceasing, limitless in its enablement of exception upon exception. Is this the precedent you wish, your honor? No, I believe it be not. So then, let us cast out this deliberation, neither descending to particularities, but granting this man, the knowledge that he may so leave his place in discomfort and find an appropriate setting as I do when the sun in glory shines too brightly upon my skin and naked eyes.