07-19-2017, 10:27 PM
Recently, I've been throwing a tantrum against humor. I still think a repeated bombardment directed at red (or blue) people in general is a bad idea. Making fun of Trump? Arguably, a much less bad idea.
The Republicans are correct, though, that precedents involving the First Amendment, Free Speech and libel are extremely well set in law. Once one becomes a celebrity, especially a celebrity politician, libel protection become nil to nonexistent. You can dump on politicians as much as one likes. That isn't apt to change without the constitutional amendment process.
And that is so with very good reason. The notion of a government board that judges whether any can speak against the government is chilling.
But I've also got a sense that freight trains are being driven through the eye of a needle. Hillary's e-mails and Trump's Russia connection might be examples. A little evidence of something not that absurd can be blown crazy out of proportion by today's media and hostile political forces.
I can go into wishful thinking mode, and wish for a society that cared more for providing benefit to the people rather than stoking scandal. I'd like to think there ought to be a right to hope, even if the above sort of hope is hopeless. It's not like scandal about politicians is new. Did you hear it rumored that Thomas Jefferson had a child with one of his slaves? Is there no limit as to how far people will go?
But censoring criticism of the government is not the way to go.
The Republicans are correct, though, that precedents involving the First Amendment, Free Speech and libel are extremely well set in law. Once one becomes a celebrity, especially a celebrity politician, libel protection become nil to nonexistent. You can dump on politicians as much as one likes. That isn't apt to change without the constitutional amendment process.
And that is so with very good reason. The notion of a government board that judges whether any can speak against the government is chilling.
But I've also got a sense that freight trains are being driven through the eye of a needle. Hillary's e-mails and Trump's Russia connection might be examples. A little evidence of something not that absurd can be blown crazy out of proportion by today's media and hostile political forces.
I can go into wishful thinking mode, and wish for a society that cared more for providing benefit to the people rather than stoking scandal. I'd like to think there ought to be a right to hope, even if the above sort of hope is hopeless. It's not like scandal about politicians is new. Did you hear it rumored that Thomas Jefferson had a child with one of his slaves? Is there no limit as to how far people will go?
But censoring criticism of the government is not the way to go.
That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.