The Patriot Post® · The Plot to Muzzle Free Speech
Some of the most famous lines about doing nothing under adverse political conditions were penned by German Pastor Martin Niemöller:
> First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Socialist.
> Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
> Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Jew.
> Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.
He wrote these words to rebuke German intellectuals for their cowardice following the Nazis’ rise to power and the subsequent purging of their chosen targets. Where are the Niemöllers today who will rebuke leftists for targeting conservatives, conservative speech and, by extension, the Constitution?
In part, the First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” Those on the Left would like these safeguards to apply only to those who think like them, and are therefore seeking to regulate conservative media just like political action groups.
The Washington Examiner reports, “Government officials, reacting to the growing voice of conservative news outlets, especially on the internet, are angling to curtail the media’s exemption from federal election laws governing political organizations, a potentially chilling intervention that the chairman of the Federal Election Commission is vowing to fight.” FEC Chairman Lee Goodman said, “I think that there are impulses in the government every day to second guess and look into the editorial decisions of conservative publishers.”
Why do this now? Because of the success of conservative media in rallying Patriots across the nation to the flag of Liberty. Thus Democrats want to prevent us from endorsing candidates or promoting issues.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal writes of another leftist assault on free speech: “The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision allowing unions and corporations to donate to independent political groups has driven liberals to such fits that they now want to amend the First Amendment. At a Senate Rules Committee meeting last week, New York Democrat Chuck Schumer announced a proposal to amend the Constitution to empower government to regulate political speech.” That’s a concept advocated by retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.
Schumer warns that we’re heading “back to the days of the robber barons, allowing dark money to flood our elections,” and, therefore, already-elected politicians should get to decide what money is kosher. Sen. Tom Udall’s (D-NM) amendment would provide for Congress to regulate campaign money “to advance the fundamental principle of political equality for all.” Of course, the result will be nothing of the sort.
These are but the latest forays to neuter constitutional free speech. Leftists over the years have also pushed for re-implementing the FCC’s “fairness doctrine” to silence conservative voices. And who can forget Lois Lerner and others at IRS who targeted, and perhaps still are targeting, conservative groups?
Perhaps some of these things – particularly a constitutional amendment – stand no chance of passing now. But we are drifting into an Orwellian world, and we don’t want to find ourselves, as Niemöller warned, with “no one left to speak for me.”