Free Speech or Breaking the Law?

Voting in California while getting threatened and harrassed. from wolfsbayne on Vimeo.

It's a video that didn't cost much to make but it's full of spectacle, story and emotions.

Entrepreneur, technologist, social media nerd, hunter and music producer Brooks Bayne went to the polls today in Sherman Oaks, CA wearing an anti-Obama T-Shirt.

"We were excited about voting today in Sherman Oaks, but we were threatened with violence and arrest over shirts we made. We were accused of "electioneering". California, you need to define this term better in your statutes.

I don't work for any party. And I wasn't showing my support for a candidate, nor was I attempting to obtain votes, or hand out campaign materials.

I'd like to see all states define "electioneering". If you don't work for a party or candidate, you should be able to wear what you want when you vote."

What do you think? Was this free speech or was Brooks breaking the law?

Free Speech and the Price of Gas

Free speech allows us to say what ever we want and online video is enabling more people than ever to reach millions with free speeches. But some free speech still comes at a price.

Depending on who you are you may think the guy in the above video is a kook. You may have trouble looking past his southern accent to believe any of the outlandish things he says about the US President and the US Vice President. You might not believe that a Baptist minister could say bad things about the President. You may think the video quality is too low to take anything he says as the truth. You may just not know what to think after watching this hour long video but it was number one on Google Video yesterday and it has some very thought provoking statements in it that will get you emotionally engaged if the price of gasoline is somehow affecting your life.

Even if you do believe what this man has to say what can you do about it? Your opinion has no power here. Or does it? What would the cost of your free speech be? If you said what you thought about why gas costs so much would people think you were a kook? Would you be able to change anything? What would other free speakers like Michael Moore have to say about this video? Could people like Obama say anything about this video without paying something in political costs for their speech? Would you risk your life to say something like this in an online video?