As Goes Free Speech—So Goes America

Each week something extraordinary happens in the Northeast Georgia town where I live—the local newspaper, the Clayton Tribune—publishes contrasting views on its opinion page. That there are still American newspapers that are unbiased is truly remarkable. The fact is American journalism is an industry in crisis in that it stifles the free flow of information. But that’s not the worst of it. There are indicators that the Constitution and our Bill of Rights, specifically our first amendment, are under attack.

While I’m grateful there is an honest, free-speech broker at the Tribune, I am equally alarmed that most media outlets have become anti-free speech advocates for the radicalized, elite leaders of the Democratic Party—leaders who openly express disdain for our first amendment.

Tim Walz said there is “no guarantee to free speech on misinformation or hate speech.” Walz, who either hasn’t read or has no regard for the Constitution, is—well, lying. And while I condemn the lie, I defend his right to say it.

In fact, the first amendment protects every form of speech—including speech based on lies and hate. Free speech is the linchpin—the indisputable fulcrum on which a free society exists. And that’s why the Left is working to dismantle our freedoms and the Constitution.

Contrary to claims on the Left, our personal freedoms DO NOT emanate from government. We are “endowed by [our] Creator with certain unalienable Rights . . . Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Furthermore, our Constitution established an unprecedented inverted power structure whereby those who serve in government are subject to the governmental authority of the people. Democrat elites do not adhere to this. They see it as their right to govern. But to do so, they must wrest control from We, the People. To gain control they must dismantle our freedoms—chief among them—our freedom of speech.

Hillary Clinton said the following, "If the platforms, whether it's Facebook or Twitter X, or Instagram, or TikTok or whatever they are, if they don't moderate or monitor the content we lose total control." Make no mistake, total control is precisely what they aspire to.

Our freedom of speech is absolutely necessary to sustain a free society. Only through earnest and honest debate do we secure our best chance to govern ourselves with truth and integrity. It’s most critical function, however, is that it allows citizens to criticize government.

To avoid criticism, the Biden-Harris administration continues their collusion with Big Tech to censor speech. The House Judiciary Committee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government released a report titled, "The Censorship-Industrial Complex: How Top Biden White House Officials Coerced Big Tech to Censor Americans." Essentially, the report says the administration abused governmental powers to coerce Big Tech to censor content that exposes their failures in favor of the opposition.

Meanwhile, radicalized elites argue against the inherent value of the U.S. Constitution. The New York Times characterized it as archaic and problematic. The New Yorker featured a story titled, “Is It Time to Torch the Constitution? Some scholars say that it’s to blame for our political dysfunction—and that we need to start over.”

These attacks are not limited to media elites. California Governor Newsom recently attempted to legislate a law that restricts on-line humor and satire. Federal Judge John A. Mendez blocked it, saying the law is a “blunt tool [that] hinders humorous expression and unconstitutionally stifles the free and unfettered exchange of ideas.” 

John Kerry said, “If people only go to one source and the source they go to is sick, and uh, you know, has an agenda and they’re putting out disinformation, our first amendment stands as a major block to the ability to be able to hammer it out of existence.”

Kerry understands that for Democrat elites to gain power they must destroy opposing viewpoints. Elitists argue that people must be protected from harmful misinformation—as though we are children. But in fact, they don’t want people to hear the truth that exposes their subversive ideas.

Kamala Harris complained that social media companies “are directly speaking to millions and millions of people without any level of oversight or regulation and it has to stop.” Apparently, she too believes Americans need government oversight and supervision when interacting on social media platforms.

The next election is our final opportunity to redress the attacks on our freedom of speech, our Constitution, and ultimately our Republic. We must vote and encourage others to vote against the radical elites who are actively dedicated to destroying our freedoms and our nation. While we still have a voice—let it resound to good effect at the ballot box this coming November.