A tragedy like Las Vegas’s can bring out the best in a country — or in the case of some liberals, the worst. Despite all the stories of heroism, the pictures of Americans helping Americans, some people just couldn’t stop themselves from inflicting some pain of their own. While parents frantically searched for their children and others hovered between life and death, liberals took turns politicizing one of the worst moments in U.S. history.

Hillary Clinton struck within hours of the shooting, blasting the NRA before many of the bodies had even been identified. Emotions were still raw when Hayley Geftman-Gold, CBS vice president and senior counsel, weighed in on Facebook, stunning a nation with her disdain for the hundreds of victims. A woman whose legal training should have taught her the importance of words let loose with a post heard around the nation. “If they wouldn’t do anything when children were murdered I have no hope that Repugs will ever do the right thing. I’m actually not even sympathetic [because] country music fans often are Republican gun toters.”

It was an astounding admission — not just because of Geftman-Gold’s position at CBS, but for its absolute and public inhumanity. How could a mother of three — knowing that parents like her had just suffered the worst possible loss — have such utter contempt for suffering people? No one, Democrat or Republican, deserves to die. But unfortunately, crass displays like Gold’s let the mask slip on just how intolerant many on the Left have become. Lauri Regan, a Manhattan attorney, thinks this generation “no longer has any sense of decorum ‘in public,’ as their whole lives are public.”

From Facebook to Snapchat to Instagram and Twitter, they all post stuff without thinking and assume there are no rules governing acceptable discourse. And it’s a lot easier to post offensive thoughts than it is to look someone in the eye and say them. Couple that with the fact that they’re taught their thoughts are in fact acceptable (and that anyone who disagrees with them is not just wrong but immoral, racist, ignorant, etc.) and you’ve created the perfect storm… Liberals believe they’re right, and they’re leading the charge on morality and anyone who doesn’t follow is a problem for the country.

Amazingly, these outrageous statements are nothing new for CBS. Back in June, when my friend and former colleague from Louisiana, Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R), was gunned down, then-anchor Scott Pelley had the nerve to say Scalise’s injury may have been self-inflicted! And liberals accuse us of hate? Liberals like this CBS executive are letting their façade slip and giving people a glimpse of the revulsion they have for a majority of Americans. To its credit, CBS responded to the outcry almost immediately, firing Geftman-Gold and releasing this statement: “This individual, who was with us for approximately one year, violated the standards of our company and is no longer an employee of CBS. Her views as expressed on social media are deeply unacceptable to all of us at CBS. Our hearts go out to the victims in Las Vegas and their families.”

The problem goes much deeper than the social media posts of CBS’s top executives. The network has been in lockstep with the Left, even resorting to the dangerous “hate” labeling of the Southern Poverty Law Center to describe several Christian organizations. One of the biggest areas that separates the Left from the Right is that we may disagree with people, but conservatives still believe that liberals have intrinsic value because of the Creator. We also believe they have the right to speak because of the Constitution.

Our Republic’s ability to thrive — and arguably survive — is dependent on the basic principle that no one deserves to be attacked or have their lives (or livelihoods) threatened for holding diverse opinions. In a free society, we should be able to challenge flawed ideologies of all kinds. But challenging ideologies is different than threatening people. And that’s a distinction liberals will have to understand if there’s any hope for healing our nation of this deadly disrespect.

Originally published here.

The Life of Pai as FCC Head

It wasn’t always easy being the only Republican on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), but Ajit Pai is being rewarded for his longsuffering. Monday, the acting Republican FCC chairman was given the keys to the agency when the Senate finally confirmed him (52-41) for the post he’d occupied on a temporary basis since January. Saying he was “deeply grateful” to the Senate, Pai talked about his work since early this year. “The Commission has focused on bridging the digital divide, promoting innovation, protecting consumers and public safety, and making the FCC more open and transparent,” he told reporters.

Faithful Update readers may remember that Pai was the leading voice against the government’s attempt to censor the media. In a story that exploded across the Internet, the FCC under Obama took a beating for its latest suggestion that Big Brother be the big arbiter of media bias. Then-Commissioner Pai took the story from relative obscurity to the top of the Drudge Report with a scathing op-ed in The Wall Street Journal that accuses his agency of “meddling” in the business of broadcasters. “The American people, for their part, disagree about what they want to watch,” Pai wrote in the Journal. “But everyone should agree on this: The government has no place pressuring media organizations into covering certain stories.”

We were grateful for Pai’s involvement then, and we will be even more grateful to have a level-headed man at the levers of American communications. He’s been a bold voice for undoing the overbearing regulation of the Obama years, even in an acting capacity and despite the incredible opposition he’s faced (including protestors at his house!). Much like the president who promoted him, Ajit has no intentions of backing down. Thank goodness for that. Congratulations on a second term at the FCC, Chairman Pai! FRC and millions of families look forward to working with you to protect our core values on TV, in print, and across the airwaves.

Originally published here.

This is a publication of the Family Research Council. Mr. Perkins is president of FRC.