Freedom of Speech: Get It Right

It continues to amaze me how poorly and consistently Americans misunderstand the constitutional right known as "freedom of speech".  In politically inclined forums, sometimes someone will accuse their detractors of infringing on their freedom of speech, when it is suggested their opinion is not welcomed, considered inappropriate, or unpopular.

The thing is the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment, with regards to free speech, protects people in the U.S. from government suppression of expression. It provides little protection from responses, criticisms, or consequences from any and all non-governmental entities.

Probably the most high profile example of this misunderstanding was when 2008 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin claimed her freedom of speech was infringed upon by the intense critical media coverage. The real tragedy was that Palin failed to realize the First Amendment actually empowers the media with the freedom of the press to provide such coverage of her flawed campaign.

More recently, I heard Carrie Prejean, Miss California USA 2009, who was strongly criticized for her outspoken opinion against same-sex marriage, incorrectly claiming her rights had been trampled on. Interestingly, Sarah Palin released a statement in defense of Prejean in which Palin repeats her mistake in contending Prejean's First Amendment protection was denied.

We must all exercise vigilance when we hear someone claiming their freedom of speech is being infringed upon by anyone other than the government.

Product Review: Straus Plain Whole Milk Yogurt

I was first introduced to Straus Organic Yogurt at the Harmony Frozen Yogurt shop in San Carlos, which exclusively sells the Straus brand. The frozen yogurt there is delicious, with a natural tart flavor.

The other day, while shopping for meatloaf ingredients, I was faced with choosing a brand of plain yogurt to add to the meat mix. I know it's a marketing thing, but it really dismayed me to find 99% of the yogurts for sale to be labeled either low fat or nonfat. I also know that the many fruit flavors are what first popularized yogurt in the U.S. (R.I.P. Daniel Carasso, founder of the Dannon/Danone #1 international brand, who popularized U.S. yogurt consumption in the 1940s, recently passed away at age 103), which is why most yogurts are flavored as such, but I was seeking the plain flavor for my meatloaf.

So, as I was considering the handful of brands among the larger containers of plain flavored yogurt, many of them organic, I was pleased to find European Style Straus Family Creamery Organic Plain Whole Milk Yogurt. It was a little bit more expensive than the other brands, but around the same cost if I bought individual servings worth of competing brands.

The yogurt did just fine in my meatloaf, which was a hit at the potluck party, but that was hardly the test of the yogurt's quality.

Since I had plenty of leftover yogurt, for two consecutive days, my breakfast consisted of a nice big bowl of Straus Plain Whole Milk Yogurt, mixed with a spoonful of strawberry preserves, and a crunchy Nature Valley Oats & Honey Granola Bar crumbled, all stirred together. It was fantastic. The yogurt was thick and creamy, tart and fresh, with great mouthfeel. The crunch from the granola and the sweet note of the strawberries rounded off the flavors. It was far more satisfying than any little prepackaged cup of fruity lowfat yogurt.

The last of the remaining yogurt in the container, I added to some spicy Indian curry chicken with potatoes, served over rice. In no way am I any sort of expert with Indian food, but I've eaten it enough times in California, Singapore, and London, to know that yogurt is a common condiment and flavor component in the cuisine. Again, the thick, tart, creamy goodness of the yogurt held its own very well against the heat and complex flavors of the curry. Of all the curries from around the world, my favorite is Indian curry, especially with thick, creamy yogurt.

Thumbs up.