Free Speech

It seems that people are finally becoming aware of the suppression of  free speech, even though it merits barely a mention from the main stream media which seems to instead spend its time trying to increase its already 90%  negative coverage of President Trump (in their own suppressive attempt to silence him or at least manipulate the public’s view of him).  It seems that the failed attempt to bring conservative Ann Coulter to speak at UC Berkeley has finally made even some Democrats aware of the narrow-minded suppression that goes on at college campuses these days. 

This is a start. But if the realization limits itself to just well-known conservatives whose speech is silenced at colleges, that realization is very limited.  For many years now the liberal/progressive agenda has been becoming more and more aggressive in its attempts to silence any opposing ideas.  That becomes visible when students violently react to a speaker with those opposing ideas, claiming they have a right to silence that opposing thought.  But these demonstrations only scratch the surface of a sickness that has been growing in our democracy for years.

Why do so many believe that they have a right to silence any viewpoints with which they disagree?  Why do they believe that it is appropriate to label as hate speech any position that does not fully conform to their agenda?    Why do they think that anyone who holds a position that they find objective should, or indeed must, be silenced?  And that, in light of that, it is both their right and their duty to use any means necessary to silence that speaker?  And why have college students not learned about the necessary benefit to both their education and our democracy of the exchange of differing ideas?

To think that attacks on free speech just suddenly appeared (or, as many Democrats would have one believe, that it is due to Trump’s election) is to ignore the subtle but effective suppression of free speech that has been going on for years.  For example, while political correctness may have some underlying noble goal, it is really just a form of suppression of free speech.  If people are forced to use only those words and phrases deemed acceptable, then their freedom to express themselves is compromised.  Not only are they not able to choose their own words, the fact that they must speak in a certain way has an even more chilling effect in that they often choose not to speak at all.  That is, their position, their ideas, are silenced.  And, as others witness this, their speech too becomes silenced.  Perhaps their ideas or their word choices would be offensive, but that is not a reason for them to be silenced.  Indeed, by allowing all viewpoints to be expressed, people can evaluate all, and choose to accept some while rejecting others.  This is how societies grow and stay free.

The chilling effect is pervasive throughout our country today.  People hold their tongue about how they really feel about issues for fear of being attacked for their position, either verbally or, as is becoming more and more likely, physically.  Yes, there are some who are still willing to speak, but they are labeled by the Left as provocateurs, and therefore properly silenced in any way necessary.  Their silencing has a ripple effect.  Fewer people are willing to risk speaking a viewpoint that does not conform to the accepted agenda.  People are afraid to express their viewpoints.  Think of one of the key characteristics of a dictatorship:  the people fear speaking out; they are not free to express their thoughts.

Democrats argued that President Trump wanted to or will become some sort of dictator.  But who has been behaving as dictators for the past several years? Clearly, it is the Left who are willing to accept no voice other than their own, who feel that tolerance by others of their viewpoint is not good enough but that everyone must be forced to believe what they believe, to speak only as they speak.  Anyone who does not fall in line with their agenda is silenced:  by being demeaned, mocked, rejected, or attacked.  When the people had enough and elected Mr. Trump, the Left was unwilling to accept the voice of the people and so, instead of working with the current administration, being a loyal opposition, they have done and continue to do everything in their power to destroy that administration and in so doing they silence the voice of the people for which it stands.

So, I am glad that at least some Democrats have become aware of what is happening to free speech on college campuses.  But I am more saddened by the fact that many others not only support the suppression, but also the right to violently object to opposing ideas.  And that so many think that this is a right is indicative of how dangerous and chilling the Left can be.   Many compare the current demonstrations to those of the 60s, but while the 60s demonstrations were mostly peaceful, when they did become violent the authorities stepped in.  Today, even the authorities fear involvement – they are afraid to enforce valid laws because doing so would come against that loud, ugly and suppressive voice of the Left.

I really do hope that this Ann Coulter-Berkeley incident awakens many.  I hope that people begin to see the subtle brainwashing that has occurred for many years, how students have been educated not in the principles of a strong democracy but in the suppressive principles of the Left.  The chilling effect of this is not something that can be undone overnight, but people can begin by demanding that there be a tolerance for varying viewpoints and an understanding that a democracy requires the free exchange of many viewpoints.  People must be willing to accept that all will not think alike and that it is beneficial, not harmful (not even micro-aggressive), to hear viewpoints other than one’s own.