"Free Speech" has a price.

This billboard appears on Santa Monica Blvd., just east of Sepulveda in LA - right across from my office. It's not the first thing I see when I exit the office front door - you half to walk to the end of the block to get a glimpse of it. I was still pissed because it's an Iranian flag. Then I did some research.

This is the former Iranian National Flag. Some organizations in the Iranian-American community of nearly one million strong have adopted this flag to represent their nostalgic cultural ties to their motherland of origin (Persia), while reaffirming their commitment to their adopted land. I've also read there are some anti-Muslim undertones with those Iranians who adopt this as their flag. "It is further resolved that the selection of this historical Flag as a national symbol should not be misconstrued as an endorsement by the Persian Parade of political organizations that have also adopted it as their symbols in the past few decades. The Flag does belong to ALL Iranian peoples."

Another source states, "It (the flag)too is surrounded with controversy as it has come to be associated with different political figures and groups who raise this same flag. In other words, the Iranian flag is a hotly contested issue. Unfortunately, it has become increasingly difficult for an Iranian who simply wants to wave a flag to show their connection to the land of Iran without being accused of adhering to controversial politics."

Free speech. Boy - it's one of the cornerstone's our country was founded on. And it means we have to sometimes turn the other cheek. It gives people the right - like conservative radio talk show host Laura Ingraham - to mock Brett Favre's demeanor (my football team's QB) during his retirement press conference (see previous posts) and it allows organizations to display the Iranian flag on a billboard overlooking a high-traffic street in the U.S. Ya think there are any U.S. flags on billboards in Iran? No. If you consider free speech encompassing the art world, then a man can display a crucifix in a container of urine and call it "art" (and "free speech"). People question the right of one person who, let's say, complains about the "Pledge of Allegiance" being recited at school - we (myself included) say, 'Why is the majority bowing to the minority?'. Same holds true with the examples I first cited. For the right of the majority to express their freedom of speech, we have to allow the minority to state their opinion, however much we disagree with it. Or we lose that freedom of speech.

My gripe has always been 'sure, everyone has an opinion and I'm open to hearing different arguments on whatever it is I'm discussing with someone, but it has to based on something intelligent'. I do it when a director offers me suggestions on how to improve my acting. I do it whenever I give my plays to people to read, asking them to give me constructive criticism. "This play sucks" or "I didn't get it" don't help me. A 2-year-old can say that and not even read the play. Opinion has to be based on something. Knowledge, research...something. There are some opinions I could give a rat's ass about. And some opinions, those based on careful research and opinion, I do care about.

It still sort of bugs me seeing that Iranian flag outside my office. But I'm glad I did the research into who put it up there and why they did it.