Freedom of Speech or Invasion of Privacy and Harassment?

I am writing in response to George Zornick's column "Tyranny of the Majority" in the Oct. 27 issue of The Spectrum. Several years ago, I registered my name on the do-not-call-list in New York State. I love it! No more annoying phone calls! I heard it was going to go national, but now corporations are claiming their rights to freedom of speech. Greed and money isn't enough for them.

I guess everyone sees this issue differently depending on the individual's perspective. I invite you to stand on my desk and see my perspective. I see telemarketers and people taking surveys over the phone as invading the privacy of my home and harassing me. This is not a freedom of speech issue. This is an issue of invasion of privacy and harassment.

Now let me stand on the much larger and more expensive desk of the corporations for their perspective. Even if it was a freedom of speech issue, I consider my family and myself a "captive audience" in our own home. Freedom of speech does not apply to an audience that is captive. I don't live in the Dynasty mansion (for those of you old enough to remember the weekly show Dynasty). Just a tiny apartment with my two sons and there isn't any east or west wing to run and hide in. The rights of the corporations via the telemarketers end where my rights begin. When and if they begin to call my residence again, they will find out just how free my speech can be.

Finally, I would like to stress the importance of having a Health Care Proxy. If a person becomes unable to make medical decisions on their own behalf, they will not find themselves in the same predicament as Terri Schiavo in Florida. When you fill out a Health Care Proxy, you would make the decision to accept or reject artificial respiration or hydration, depending on your medical condition. I know I filled out several Health Care Proxies this summer. It is a scary thing to do, but very important and necessary.