I know it sounds cliché, but free speech is under attack and will be on the ballot in November whether the American public realizes it or not.
The First Amendment has prevented the government from using its power to squash free speech. However, the authoritarian left is not letting a little thing like the U.S. Constitution prevent them from finding ways to prevent people from expressing their views.
Those who value speech must realize that now is the time to fight back against those seeking to silence their political opposition because these elements are gradually working to chip away at the protections the First Amendment provides. They are doing so largely under the radar while Americans assume their right to voice their views on digital and other platforms is safe, which means that if the anti-speech folks begin making progress, it might be too late to counteract them.
Failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made some waves during a recent interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, where she suggested that Americans engaged in spreading propaganda should face civil or criminal penalties.
“I think it's important to indict the Russians, just as Mueller indicted a lot of Russians who were engaged in direct election interference and boosting Trump back in 2016. But I also think there are Americans who are engaged in this kind of propaganda,” she warned:
“And whether they should be civilly or even in some cases criminally charged is something that would be a better deterrence, because the Russians are unlikely, except in a very few cases, to ever stand trial in the United States.”
Clinton’s comments were rather ironic given that she promoted the narrative that Russian interference cost her the 2016 election rather than her own incompetence. Still, the former candidate’s remarks reflect how authoritarian leftists are trying to push their anti-speech agenda under the guise of combatting “misinformation” on digital platforms.
“Imprison people for promoting disinformation?”
— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) September 17, 2024
Hey @HillaryClinton does that include the Russia Hoax? pic.twitter.com/BGmR8ikbgE
Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, have also expressed anti-speech views. While running for the Democratic Party’s nomination in 2020, Harris threatened to hold social media companies accountable for allowing users to spread “hate” and “misinformation.”
“2018 was the deadliest year on record for domestic terrorism since the Oklahoma City bombing more than 20 years ago, and I’m telling you, we can’t feed it, I’m telling you I won’t ignore it, I won’t tolerate it,” the vice president vowed.
Even more recently, Walz told MSNBC “There’s no guarantee to free speech on misinformation or hate speech, especially around our democracy.”
“There’s no guarantee to free speech on misinformation or hate speech.”
— The Rabbit Hole (@TheRabbitHole84) September 17, 2024
— Tim Walz pic.twitter.com/js8WhTpqkt
Democrat Illinois state Rep. Harry Benton in June introduced legislation that would criminalize flying the American flag upside down for political purposes. The proposal came in response to a Will County official who flew the flag upside down after former President Donald Trump was convicted in the Manhattan trial.
Benton argued that the flag is a symbol of national pride and the sacrifices made by many Americans. If passed, the measure would impose a fine of up to $25,000 on offenders. The bill is unlikely to pass, but the fact that a state legislator felt comfortable proposing such a law demonstrates that the authoritarian left is actively seeking to undermine the First Amendment with impunity.
You might also remember when the Biden administration attempted to create a Disinformation Governance Board ostensibly to prevent Americans from being fooled by fake news on social media platforms. The backlash against this endeavor brought about its dissolution. However, this does not mean the idea isn’t still fresh in the minds of authoritarian leftists.
Colorado passed a bill earlier in 2024 that aims to combat misinformation and disinformation by establishing a partnership between the state’s attorney general and Education Department to supposedly study how information is spread online and through media. Supporters of the measure argue that it is intended to promote respectful discourse and encourage accuracy online without curtailing free speech.
There are plenty of other examples of the authoritarian left seeking to use the government and other means to silence those who disagree with their politics. It seems they realize that overt efforts to silence opposition won’t work because of the First Amendment. They understand that if they want to eventually do away with this constitutional protection, they have to do so gradually, which is why they have resorted to pressuring social media companies to target users online.
The anti-speech crowd has also used private means to achieve their objectives, forming organizations dedicated to cracking down on viewpoints while pretending to fight misinformation and disinformation. Their overall message is that they need to root out these views for our own protection, which is precisely how every authoritarian regime has managed to convince the public to give them more power.
Now is the time to fight these people. We cannot afford to give them any concessions when it comes to speech because it will only lead to further abuses. If the anti-speech crowd manages to gain ground, it will be that much harder to stop them. Right now, there might not seem to be much of a threat to speech – especially to those who are not familiar with how the left works. But the First Amendment and the rights that it protects are very much under attack. Some on the left are willing to voice their objectives publicly, but much of the work is being done under the radar. If we want to safeguard our right to freely express our views, we have to nip it in the bud now before it is too late.
