Why I love free speech and why others should, too

I have been really lucky in that I got into a career that allowed me to work a job that I love and do work that I believe in as important to something greater than myself. When I moved to Los Angeles, I had given thought to no longer working as a reporter, but was rather quickly sucked back in. And thankfully I did, because now I get to help students gain an appreciation for the rights guaranteed them by the First Amendment.

Two great salutes to the first amendment. The first is taken from Poynter.org and it originally appeared in the Miami Herald as a list of journalism's accomplishments in 2005:

Miami Herald
* Died in war zones so we can know what was really happening.
* Risked their lives to warn their towns when bad hurricanes were coming.
* Explained how Social Security works and how to fix it.
* Revealed how crooked public servants squandered public money.
Don't rush out to hug a journalist, says Eric Newton. "That would just scare them. It would be enough if, the next time someone is bashing 'the media,' you simply remind the world's self-appointed media critics that good journalism, like good citizenship, still matters."

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This one is far less serious, but under our First Amendment just as important.

LAS VEGAS (AP) - A minor league hockey team is spoofing Vice President Dick Cheney.

Dick Cheney's recent hunting mishap with a plan to distribute bright orange hunting vests printed with the words, "Don't Shoot, I'm Human."

The Las Vegas Wranglers plan to distribute 1,000 vests to fans arriving for Friday's game as part of a promotion dubbed "Dick Cheney Hunting Vest Night" at the Orleans Arena.

"It was sort of too juicy not to do," said Billy Johnson, Wranglers president and chief operating officer. "It's one of those events in pop culture."

He referred to Cheney accidentally wounding a hunting partner while quail hunting Feb. 11 on a Texas ranch.

Cheney's office in Washington, D.C., did not immediately respond Monday to requests for comment.

The Wranglers, of the East Coast Hockey League, are scheduled to play the Alaska Aces on Friday. The 7,000-seat arena is at the Orleans hotel-casino.

Perhaps a trip to Vegas is in order?