Yesterday as I was traipsing through the internet an article about author Anne Rice caught my eye. As a lifelong fan of Anne, I clicked on the story and discovered that there had been quite a flap over on her Facebook page with some folks who took issue with her congratulating actress Ellen Page (of Juno and XMen fame) for coming out at a recent event focused on LGBT youth. Now I understand that homosexuality is a hot button topic for many conservatives and I want to let you know that will not be the main focus of this posting. What really struck me about this issue was that it speaks directly to the issue of First Amendment rights in this country.

For those of you who may not be acquainted with Ms. Rice’s writing she is the author of two phenomenally successful book series-Interview with a Vampire and the Witching Hour books. Both series focus on the supernatural, but she is also the author of Called Out of Darkness and Christ the Lord. You see Ms. Rice was, like me, born a Catholic and had some seriously rocky times in her life which caused her to doubt her faith. I am sure that most everyone here can identify with that on some level. I don’t know many people over the age of 21 who have not gone into a church, looked skyward and uttered “Really? What are you trying to tell me??”. The events that led Anne to her crises of faith were the death of her daughter from leukemia at the tender age of six and the death of her husband of brian cancer in 2002. When her husband died she briefly reunited with the Church and wrote one book based on the life of Jesus Christ and the other about her struggles with her faith.

The later books were amazing and inspirational, and provided me much comfort in a difficult time in my life-my mother in law who has never read a book that was not about the Virgin Mother even read them and loved them. This is why it broke my heart to hear that Anne was having an issue with some folks on her Facebook page who posted less than kind words in response to a post on her Facebook page expressing support for actress Ellen Page on her coming out at the event I mentioned earlier in this posting. Anne received many supportive comments on the post, but also received many that were derogatory in nature.

This is where the First Amendment comes in for me. Like many celebrities who use their Facebook pages as communities to talk with their fans, Ms. Rice has set clear rules for the comments on her page. One of those rules is that everyone is treated with the same level of respect. Ms. Rice clearly felt that many of the comments on this particular post were less than respectful, and I would have to agree. Having been the target of less than respectful comments over the years of standing in support of my gay conservative friends, and their other straight allies, I understood why Ms. Rice felt it necessary to post a response to her detractors.

Now, I understand that living in a free society sometimes means that I will hear speech I feel is less than respectful, and at times even downright ugly. That is one of the prices I pay for living in the best country on this earth. However, when someone who owns a business, which Ms. Rice does since this Facebook page is to promote her writing, lays out clear rules of conduct about the use of that medium why should they not be justified in blocking those who are no longer following those rules?

Now please understand I am not attacking the people who were posting the negative comments, let me reiterate, I see this as a First Amendment issue. When I hear someone preaching hatred of whites (which I happen to be) or of women (which I also happen to be) I am horribly offended-but I understand that this is a price we pay for freedom. However, if I saw these comments on my Facebook page as a business person I would feel compelled to take similar action to Ms. Rice and ban those who were in violation of the policies of my page. As a business person that would be my right, just as it is the right of these folks who find Ms. Rice’s postings objectionable no matter what their content to leave the community on the page.

Free speech is indeed a double edged sword. Sometimes it means that people will say things that we find offensive, even hateful. When we hear these things we face a choice. We can continue to support the people who say them, or we can vote with our feet and chose to end our affiliation with them. I guess I am just asking folks that before posting a comment on Facebook on a business’s page, stop and consider your options. In a free society those who vote with their feet can make a huge impact.