Curry

The First Amendment: It's not just for journalists.

That's one of the points that media consultant and former Ventura County Star Publisher Tim Gallagher plans to raise next week at a discussion he will co-host with Bishop Thomas J. Curry of Santa Barbara.

"It's a basic right in America; what's happening today is it is being abused by both liberals and conservatives," Gallagher said.

"First Amendment: Freedom of Speech & Freedom of Religion in Today's America" is the first in a series called Catholic Community Conversations to be held at St. John's Seminary in Camarillo.

Moderated by the Rev. Dick Benson, dean of St. John's, the presentation will be styled after CNN's Larry King show, with questions from the audience.

Gallagher plans to focus on freedom of speech and the press; Curry's bailiwick will be freedom of religion, and separation of church and state.

Curry said he wants the audience to focus on exactly what is meant by the separation of church and state, and what constitutes a violation of that aspect of the First Amendment.

"I would ask them first of all, If the church and state are separated, who does the separating?'" Curry said. "The person who does the separating has the power to define both."

What happens when political issues arise that the church considers moral issues, such as abortion or assisted suicide? If a certain candidate backs an issue that the church considers morally correct, should the church back that candidate? Or does that violate church-state separation?

Curry said he will be interested to hear the views of those who attend, but he believes that the church should not be in the business of endorsing candidates.

"It just polarizes congregations," he said. "We really shouldn't become involved in that."

Both Curry and Gallagher agree that a lot of confusion surrounds all of the elements of the First Amendment, from separation of church and state to how free our speech should be.

"Right from the very start, politicians have abused it," Gallagher said. "John Adams was able to pass the Alien and Sedition Acts. Abraham Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus."

Gallagher is referring to Adams' 1798 law to stifle criticism of a government during wartime. Lincoln's action had the same effect at the beginning of the Civil War. As a result, about 350 people were imprisoned, many for simply speaking out against the U.S. president.

The clash of ideas forges more strength for this country, Gallagher explained. It is our right to express our ideas, and to hear the ideas of others, even if we find them downright offensive.

And, yes, we should even be able to burn the American flag, Gallagher said.

He plans to make it clear that it angers him to see an American flag burned, but Gallagher posits that the very act of burning a flag strengthens the principles it represents.

We, as Americans, should be strong enough in our beliefs that we can withstand such an expression, he said.

Gallagher contends that we should be able to say to a flag-burner:

"It only proves my point that the America you hate is so strong that it allows you to take that kind of action. Go ahead and burn my flag. I will let you."

The presentation will begin with Mass in St. John's chapel at 5 p.m., to be followed by wine tasting and hors d'oeuvres at 6.

The discussion will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Tickets are $80. For information, call 482-2755, ext. 2035.