The title of this post is certainly not original to me. Indeed, it has become a shorthand for the intolerance of the self proclaimed "tolerant" left in this country. Nevertheless, I was struck today once again by just how far we have come in moving away from free speech for all to the new mantra of the left, "free speech so long as you agree with us."
Yesterday, an air force veteran was arrested when she rescued an American flag which was being intentionally trampled at a demonstration at a college campus. Walking on the American flag is protected symbolic speech. Retrieving that American flag is also protected symbolic speech, but the campus police moved in immediately. The protesters also assaulted the vet who picked up the flag. The police wrestled the vet to the ground, handcuffed her, and returned the flag to the protesters for their continued demonstration.
Meanwhile, at campuses around the country, speakers who are centrist or conservative continue to get shouted down. It is not enough for the left to demonstrate outside the event and boycott the speech. No, they have to prevent everyone else from hearing the ideas with which they disagree and to prevent the speakers from expressing those ideas. Then there are the students who claim victim status to shut down free speech. You know, the Moslem organizations that protest showing a film like "American Sniper" because it makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable. But isn't that the point of free speech? Didn't this country long ago decide that having people feel uncomfortable was a price worth paying so that all ideas, no matter how unpopular, could be expressed? Surely, we did. And what of the firestorms that have greeted those who had the nerve to disagree that global warming is settled science (which it is not)? I have seen many articles or read the text of speeches by those on the left who want to criminalize what they call climate change denial. Just imagine the reaction of these same people if a proposal were made to criminalize talking about atheism. Or how about the reaction were there a plan to criminalize any opposition to the actions of the American military? The outrage would be endless. Of course, those proposals are not made because unlike the left, the conservatives are wedded to protecting the freedoms of Americans. For conservatives, the goal is freedom not just power.
Hopefully, in less than two years, the long night of liberal fascism will be ended and we will no longer have a government that threatens our individual liberties.
Yesterday, an air force veteran was arrested when she rescued an American flag which was being intentionally trampled at a demonstration at a college campus. Walking on the American flag is protected symbolic speech. Retrieving that American flag is also protected symbolic speech, but the campus police moved in immediately. The protesters also assaulted the vet who picked up the flag. The police wrestled the vet to the ground, handcuffed her, and returned the flag to the protesters for their continued demonstration.
Meanwhile, at campuses around the country, speakers who are centrist or conservative continue to get shouted down. It is not enough for the left to demonstrate outside the event and boycott the speech. No, they have to prevent everyone else from hearing the ideas with which they disagree and to prevent the speakers from expressing those ideas. Then there are the students who claim victim status to shut down free speech. You know, the Moslem organizations that protest showing a film like "American Sniper" because it makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable. But isn't that the point of free speech? Didn't this country long ago decide that having people feel uncomfortable was a price worth paying so that all ideas, no matter how unpopular, could be expressed? Surely, we did. And what of the firestorms that have greeted those who had the nerve to disagree that global warming is settled science (which it is not)? I have seen many articles or read the text of speeches by those on the left who want to criminalize what they call climate change denial. Just imagine the reaction of these same people if a proposal were made to criminalize talking about atheism. Or how about the reaction were there a plan to criminalize any opposition to the actions of the American military? The outrage would be endless. Of course, those proposals are not made because unlike the left, the conservatives are wedded to protecting the freedoms of Americans. For conservatives, the goal is freedom not just power.
Hopefully, in less than two years, the long night of liberal fascism will be ended and we will no longer have a government that threatens our individual liberties.
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