Voices for Voices®

Who Gets to Silence Whom? A Deep Dive into Constitutional Rights | Ep 246

• Founder of Voices for Voices®, Justin Alan Hayes • Season 4 • Episode 246

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Who Gets to Silence Whom? A Deep Dive into Constitutional Rights | Ep 246

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Free speech is a constitutional right that protects everyone equally, especially when discussing matters of public concern related to health and safety. The law provides strong protections for those who speak about dangerous situations, even when powerful people with resources try to silence them through intimidation tactics.

• First Amendment free speech protections apply to everyone regardless of popularity or influence
• "Matter of public concern" provides additional legal protection when discussing safety issues
• Public health and safety discussions are specifically protected forms of speech
• Powerful people sometimes use defamation claims to silence smaller voices
• Individuals with disabilities have both constitutional and additional legal protections
• David vs. Goliath dynamics often play out when the wealthy try to silence those with fewer resources
• True defamation claims require actual damages, not just disagreement with what was said
• Speaking truth about dangerous situations serves the public interest

Please subscribe, comment, share, and if you're able, consider supporting our 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization through donations at voicesforvoices.org or Venmo @VoicesForVoices

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Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

Hey everyone, Justin Alan Hayes here with Voices for Voices TV show and podcast episode. Thank you for joining us at Visit. First Welcome If you've been with us since the beginning. Over 244, 245 episodes, I believe, marching our way towards a total of 300 for calendar year by the end of calendar year 2025. So, yeah, we're so excited to be able to share that. Each and every time we come to you, thank you for allowing us to come into your living room, come into your dorm rooms, come into your earbuds on a plane, airport, subway, train or in a car. Right, we got Bluetooth, we got a lot of ways. So the Voices for Voices TV show and podcast, please join us, give us a big thumbs up, please subscribe, comment, share. All that helps and that's free to do. We also are a 501c3 nonprofit charity, for those of you who do not know, and so, if it so moves you, we do accept donations that are tax deductible and you can go to voicesforvoices. org or you can go to Venmo voices for voices there's options, voicesorg or you can go to Venmo Voices for Voices, there's options and we thank each and every one of you who has supported us, both with donations, monetarily, with moral, with prayers, with all types of support. We really do appreciate you and we appreciate everybody across the entire world. So, yeah, let's jump in right, let's jump in right.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

So, first and foremost, I want to share an individual that I, through different media avenues, came into contact with this individual, this individual's show, and I believed he had credibility, which is why I will remain nameless. The show this individual was on a big show and I tuned in, watched him as a guest and he has shown up multiple times and I have no reason not to believe. You know an individual. We don't have to agree, right, that's free speech, that's free will. We can make our own decisions. We have the free speech to share information, opinions and leave it up to you and that's what we do. If you're one of those individuals that's upset about that, sorry, you don't get a pass, you don't get to have your free speech, and then tell me, my organization, my guests, that we don't have free speech, that we're not protected under the United States of America Constitution, first Amendment, free speech. So this individual again, pretty big following, again pretty big following.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

And so recently it came to my attention that there was at least one show, maybe more but one, that was brought to my attention. That really got me a little fired up, you know, and I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe what I was watching, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. You know, this individual, again seen on big-time shows, has a big following. And there this individual is and he's speaking about an individual who he's had on the show and calling him a liar without any basis, and talking down to again, he has the right to do that. I don't have to agree with everything he says, but the reason why I've lost respect for this and probably won't tune in if he's a guest or if a conversation comes up about credibility and that, and again, this individual has the free speech and they're able to share and talk, and so am I, and they're able to share and talk, and so am I. So is our organization, voices for Voices, so are the guests that we bring on the show. So are the times where I talk about a myriad of topics.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

The one big one, you know my mental health, and it's coming to my attention again, this individual he okay, I wasn't going to, I wasn't going to share, because, again, huge following, because, again, huge following. We don't have a huge following and that's okay. I love the following we have. I love each and every one of you that has ever made a millisecond of time for us. A millisecond of time for us.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

Gray Hughes investigates Sorry, you lost all credibility and so that's that. So I'm not going to give him any more press, any more airtime, not going to get into exactly something. But there's a guest we've had on several times and called him names, called him crazy type of things, and again, that's okay, that's his right, he's allowed to do that. So this isn't me saying he's not allowed to, he most definitely is, but so am I, and so are we, and so are our guests, and so I believe he's wrong on a topic and so he lost credibility. So we can obviously do our our things, we can agree to disagree, but I wanted to share that at the outset because it it got to me and so that's that.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

So let's jump into the key area that we want to talk about and, as you may know, I'm a lifelong learner. I'm a person that is getting better at listening, with my mental illnesses, and trying to get better at focusing, and I'm continuing to learn things from people, events, experiences, both mine and others, and so I'm a learner, so I'm going to learn right along with you on this particular episode, specifically since we're here, right, specifically since we're here, right, okay, so the topic we're going to talk about it's called public concern, public concern. Public concern is and we'll get into some of the formal definition, but, in essence, if an individual is accused of another individual and saying you're defaming me, you're defaming me, you're defaming me, okay, well, bring it on, bring it on, bring it on. And so why do I say this? Why do I then bring this up? It's because some people try to not just try they, they do they. They abuse where they're at money, millionaire, billionaire, influence over others, influence over others, try to walk over others to silence others. And, as we know, that's not going to happen with Voices for Voices. And so when a person comes forward or an organization says something you said has defamed me and I have lost, whatever money contracts, whatever that may be, money contracts, whatever that may be, all because of you, voices for Voices, all because of you. Justin Allen Hayes, all 163 followers on YouTube, all 52 at the current moment followers on Rumble downloads at this point, all audio for over 240 plus episodes, less than 5,000. But again, I don't, I don't like to right, it's embarrassing, uh, but it is what it is and I'm I'm fine with that, but it is what it is, I'm fine with that. It's a growing process, it's a learning process, and so when somebody comes out and says you've done this, you defamed me.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

Well, there's a little something, as we mentioned, called the United States of America Constitution, us citizens, first Amendment, free speech. Again, I just talked about an individual that I don't agree with, but I don't tell them not to do their thing and not to do it. I mean, would I prefer an individual to be in my opinion a little bit more, do a little bit more research? Yeah, but that doesn't. That's not me saying they don't have the right to share their opinion and so, as I mentioned, others don't have the right to tell me my organization, my guests, who are exercising free speech under the First Amendment. So we look at that. So that's, first and foremost, afforded to all us United States of America citizens, just the way. It is right. Whether we agree with them, we don't agree with them.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

You know, when you have multi-millions, multi-billions and you're going after one of the smallest organizations and saying, no, it's because of you, it's because of your 5,000 downloads, which, oh, by the way, not all those downloads were during this period of time. So it's not even 5,000. So the period of time that may be looked at is much smaller than that. And guess what? It's called numbers, it's called analytics. If you've heard us talk on various episodes, the data doesn't lie. If you've heard us talk on various episodes, the data doesn't lie Straight up.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

So we talk about that First Amendment, that free speech we talk about that. We're talking about defaming character and lost wages and one of the biggest moneymakers for a particular individual, particular organization has not even happened yet. So there's that, but that's neither here nor there. That's an opinion. But that's neither here nor there. That's an opinion. But it's true that this big event hasn't happened.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

Yeah, so when we talk about free speech, first Amendment, talk about, you know, a defamation of character, type of things, there's something called public concern or the matter of public concern. Again, this is a level down from the First Amendment free speech. So, right off the bat, the free speech is there. Like it, love it, hate it, don't agree, agree, free speech is there. And then we talk about this A matter of public concern. And so I'll share from lawinsidercom forward.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

We see, is a matter of public concern, in quotes, means a violation of state, federal or municipal law, regulation or ordinance, a danger to public health. Now, let me say that again A danger to public health, a danger to public health or safety, or safety, waste of funds, clear abuse of authority, and so let's talk about that Matter of public concern. So, you know, we throw a hypothetical and we have a guest and they come on, or an episode, one of my solo episodes, or one of our videos that you know, one of our TikToks or what have you. It's not the show that we're coming to you with. And, like I said, you got free speech first and foremost and then, below that, you got free speech first and foremost and then below that, as we talk about this defamation term, and you're learning, learning right. I'm a learner and so I'm learning as I'm having this discussion with you.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

And so, when a matter of public concern, a guest comes on and shares, you know they have gone through a particular situation, whatever that is and for whatever reason. They feel that their safety and security is compromised. People are looking for them and they don't feel safe. That's the public part, right, and there's the safety, so right, our feeling safe, you know, mentally, physically, that's the public and health, both mentally, physically, spiritually, in health, both mentally, physically, spiritually. So when somebody shares a situation, an experience, going back to the very beginning, I don't have to agree with an individual. I can share that. I don't agree with them and they can share. They don't agree with me and that's okay.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

First Amendment applies to both of us, or however many people or organizations are included here in the United States in these hypotheticals and individual talks about fear of safety. They've been through a situation, or multiple, where they were abused or taken advantage of and so, in good faith, they share their story and they may even want to be that beacon of light for people, individuals. It says you know I can talk about this and, as I just mentioned, the public health, and so you know that safety and they're in the public. That's called public health. We can agree to disagree, but when health is followed by the word public, that's called public health. You don't get to decide. Because we've narrowed this down. I'm talking about public health and that falls under the matter of public concern and a danger to public health or safety, and so I would. I would just throw out somebody that's afraid for their safety. They're afraid for the physically to be hurt, injured, worse. That falls under a matter of public concern. And that, right there again we're already. You know you might not like it, but we're checking them boxes. First amendment free speech check. Matter of public concern, check. Matter of public concern, check. And so again, you may disagree. That's cool. You can agree, disagree.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

You know we've hashed this thing out in this episode. We're talking through this, we're learning together, and so I, or one of our guests, share their story, their experiences, in great detail or in broad terms, were first covered under the First Amendment, free speech. And I'm hammering it and hammering it and hammering it, and we had an episode that was all about that, but I feel it it's time. It's time to do it again, to hammer that home, because it appears that some people like to think, because they don't agree with what is said, that it's not free speech, it's not covered under free speech, and that when it's a matter of public concern and somebody talks about the fear of themselves, danger and also alerting the public about something that's dangerous and something that is potentially not safe, and so to come on the Voices for Voices TV show and podcast and share that. That right there. That right there is a matter of public concern. That right, there is a matter of public concern and you know we check that box. You can like it, you can love it, you can hate it, you can disagree, you can agree, you can be lukewarm towards it.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

Can't do is tell somebody who has felt and gone through situations and experiences you don't get to tell them how they feel, what experiences they've been through. Now you might want to, but why would that be? Is that because you may be involved somehow or you're connected to somebody or somebodies that are involved in that? I don't know. Again, I'm sharing my First Amendment right to free speech and sharing when somebody comes at another and says I've been defamed and I got oodles and oodles and oodles of money, oodles and oodles and oodles of influence and connections and I can shut something down at the snap of a finger, at the snap of a finger, or the little guy or David there's a whole lot of Goliaths out there and so something you need to really get hammered into you, your staff, your legal team, your connections public free speech under the First Amendment check. You can agree, your connections could agree with you. You know it doesn't matter.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

What matters is the law, and thank you, president Trump, for signing the Take it Down Act into law, and we're proud to have had the ability to talk to one of the girls that was affected by that. And you, mr President, along with your administration, you're let's just say you're doing a little bit more than what has been done in the past. You're handling things straight on. The law is on the books. You follow that law and so we do. We reach out to President Trump, we reach out to you, vice President Vance. We reach out to you, secretary of Homeland Security, christine Noem. We reach out to you, mr Kash Patel, fbi Director. We reach out to you, mr Dan Bongino, deputy director of the FBI, and anybody and everybody, whether you're in the government or not.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

This comes down to, in the case of, you know, an accusation being made of defaming or having defamed, because they don't agree with something you said or something I said, when it's been as every episode, the underlying mental health, the mental illnesses, those have been actually classified as disabilities. So let's just think about this for a second. The little guy David, and you're the big guy Goliath, and you feel, and in the past you may have been able to have certain outcomes, but, being David myself, our organization, we've had high profile guests, we've had people just like me sharing their story and stories and experiences who have disabilities, hmm, hmm. So, whatever, whatever's in in that mind of a particular individual or individuals, you really have to have a certain, you really have to have a certain fabric and fiber. So wanna say, you defamed me. Oh, I know that you're the little guy, I know that this, that the other, I know you've come out and you're sharing my words that I've said. Well, what do I say to that, like it or not? If you said it, that's not on us, that's not on me, that's on you, that's on you. And if you say you're not connected, you don't know somebody, and it shows up where you got pictures, arms around each other. Like I said on the free speech episode, you're not putting your hand up For the paparazzi, you don't want to be photographed. That's not me, that's not Voices for Voices, that's not me. That's not Voices for Voices. That's you Like it or not. And to wait Months, months and then go after a couple of individuals with disabilities who are covered under free speech and the Constitution.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

Additionally, when we talk about the defaming aspect again the matter of public concern, danger to public health You're not God, as much as you may think you are, as much as you think you want to be, you're not. There's one God. It was sinless. Any of us, all of us, we've sinned and maybe you have a different religious belief, but that's the belief I have. And we have individuals with disabilities, on top of knowing that, what is said is covered under free speech and is, again, as I mentioned multiple times, a matter of public concern.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

If we're talking about a danger to public health or safety, I would say Human trafficking, I would say that's a safety concern, a public health concern Of somebody being ripped away from their family and sex trafficked, labor trafficked, whatever, that's a matter of public concern because that individual and any individual who is currently being trafficked, I assure you they're afraid for their lives, they're afraid for their lives, they're afraid it's called danger. So when we talk about that and other concerns, right, if you see something, say something, it's a public concern. We want to be ringing that alarm, we want to be sharing it, letting people know, say, hey, everybody, guess what you know, we need to be on the lookout for X, y, z, whatever that is. And so, hmm, maybe we go back to the beginning, the beginning of this show, and I talk about an individual that I don't agree with, that I've lost respect for. But I've also said that they have their First Amendment free speech coverage as a US citizen, and so they're allowed to share and talk. So am I, so is Voices, for Voices, so are individuals that come on our show, and so you may not like it, you may not love it, you may love it, you may like it mildly, you may have disdain, I don't know. But what you can't do is say I'm not covered under free speech and I'm not covered under a matter of public concern when areas that maybe they were pointed out in some document somewhere, and saying this right here, you know you said this. Okay, we all say stuff or think stuff, but again, and I'm going to hammer it home free speech, check, matter of public concern. Check david versus goliath. Check connections versus an individual with no connections. Check A person that is in fear for their life and fear for their safety in the past, present and alerts the public. Check.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

So, as I mentioned, I'm a lifelong learner, I learn something new every day. Learner, I learn something new every day and I take I take solace in that that I can take away your rights as a US citizen, and you can't take away a matter of public concern, especially when that is being shared and talked about. So that's what we call the double A right, a double cheeseburger. And then on top of it you have a lot of money, a lot of influence, a lot of connections, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot. And then you have down here I'm down here Voices for Voices is down here, just a fact of the matter, and I have a disability. More than happy to share that, more than happy to get that information to you. All you got to do is ask. All you got to do is ask I'll reach out to my medical team and we'll get that. And what's that? That's a triple cheeseburger Until next time.

Voices for Voices, Justin Alan Hayes:

We value you, we value your support, we value you tuning in. If you've only tuned in for a second or two on one episode, or you've been with us from the beginning, we are humbled to have the opportunity to come to you and talk and share, laugh and love and cry and talk about sensitive topics, scary topics, lighthearted topics. So thank you, thank you for me, Justin Alan Hayes, founder and executive director at Voices for Voices, every member on our board, every member across the world, all seven plus billion, even if you disagree with us, we have that right, we have that free speech and if we're going to talk about defamation of character, we have that matter of public concern and in my case, I have a disability. We'll see you next time. Thank you very much. God bless you and God bless the United States of America and every nation, state, province across the globe. Thank you.

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