The First Amendment, our constitutional bedrock, champions freedom of speech, religion, the press, petition, and assembly. These precious freedoms, born from the fiery crucible of history, are now facing fierce and partisan crosswinds.
Recent polls reveal an alarming trend: a growing chasm between Republicans, who guard against government censorship with vigilant eyes, and Democrats, who increasingly entertain the notion of a more interventionist government in the realm of ideas.
It's the startling revelation that over a third of Democrats believe that Americans possess "too much freedom" that sends shockwaves through our democratic foundation. These individuals, it seems, harbor a desire to grant greater control to the government over the exchange of ideas. This notion borders on the absurd, considering the well-documented cases of governmental deceit, cover-ups, and partisan manipulation on social media platforms.
Where are the classical liberalists who were traditionally rooted in individual freedom, upheld principles like free markets, laissez-faire economics, civil liberties under the rule of law, autonomy, and passionately defended unrestricted freedom of speech? America is clearly no longer foundationally united on the US Constitution and American Values. Do they even know their Democrat party has completely transformed into the Democrat Socialist party, leaving them in the dust?
This unsettling divide isn't confined to mere statistics; it's a deep-rooted ideological fissure. Democrats, when faced with content that challenges their beliefs or advances their party's interests, are more willing to embrace censorship. For instance, a glaring discrepancy emerges when comparing Democrats, who often clamor for the removal of headlines, and Republicans, who tend to prefer robust debate.
This partisan discord on censorship could be attributed to a fundamental divergence in how each party views power. For Democrats, a silenced populace may seem more manageable, but such a perspective is fundamentally at odds with the principles of democracy. Republicans, on the other hand, champion open dialogue, even if some within their ranks occasionally drift toward silencing opposition.
Another intriguing dimension is the role of religion. Democrats, it seems, are moving away from traditional values and embracing moral relativism. In this paradigm, subjective morality becomes a weapon to be wielded against opponents. This enables Democrats to claim support for movements like Black Lives Matter while simultaneously leveling incendiary accusations against individuals of color within the Republican camp.
Censorship, in its essence, should be grounded in a principled, moral foundation, not wielded as a tool for power consolidation. Our Founding Fathers understood this, as they crafted the Constitution for a ‘moral and religious’ populace. While limitations on freedom of speech exist, they are rooted in principles like slander, obscenity, or incitement to panic.
Censorship should be the instrument of the principled, the safeguard of the moral, and the protector of our democratic values. As John Adams aptly noted, our Constitution is ill-suited for any other form of governance.
As the Democratic Party veers away from moral and religious values in favor of moral relativism, the chasm in views on free speech, censorship, and liberty at large is destined to widen. Perhaps classical liberals need to take a stand and join Republicans who share their core ‘American’ ideals.
It's time to reach out to our liberal friends before we lose our country!
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