From the narration, I believe Kathy Griffin actions are covered by the 1st Amendment of the constitution. One of the key elements in the amendment is the freedom of expression. This freedom allows an individual to have the freedom of speech and express himself or herself freely without the interference or regulation of the government (Phillips, 2017). As the constitution stipulates, no one should be held civilly or criminally responsible for libel or slander, as long as the opinion is honest and does not harm the reputation of others. Therefore, claiming that the photo is threatening to the president’s life leads to psychological torture to Kathy as it is indeed not her intention.
Consequently, when the people on the “right” asserts that the comedienne photos were in a poor and disgusting state damages her reputation. The amendment provides an opportunity for any individual to express himself or herself freely through publication and dissemination (Smith, 2017). However, it does not give special rights to some citizens as those in the “left”, the media or even the president. They should realize that Kathy is protected by the Amendment not to be exposed to such torture. Kathy should sue the government to help her build her image. The Supreme Court needs the government to offer a justification for its attempt to regulate the content of speech.
Even if Kathy has been bullied, the president and his followers should not stand by and do nothing. One of the core tasks of the president is to adhere to the constitution and protect and respect the citizens’ rights (Wilson, 2017). Similarly, the citizens ought to support each other in promoting a moral society. It is indeed a shame to see the president leading in going against the human rights which he is supposed to protect.
References
Phillips, C. M. (2017). The Constitutionality of Restricting the State Sponsorship of Oppressive Messages and Symbols.
Smith, K. E. I. (2017). FOR A DECOLONIZED US CONSTITUTION. Human Rights Of, By, and For the People: How to Critique and Change the US Constitution, 162.
Wilson, W. (2017). Constitutional government in the United States. Routledge.
