First Amendment loses a protector as the Dems begin banning books
Last week, I wrote that republicans defend individual freedom in America. Of course, many readers probably noticed that there was one key freedom that I left out: the First Amendment.
That was not an accidental lapse, it was a purposeful one. The ways that democratic politicians of late have violated the First Amendment is so horrendous that I felt I needed to dedicate a full article to it.
Democrats always talk about republicans banning books. Sometimes democrats are so desperate to make this case that they will claim putting an “evolution is a theory” sticker on a middle grades science textbook is somehow classified as book burning. But would you believe that it is really the democrats who are trying to ban books? Believe it or not, it happened just three months ago. In New Jersey, two democratic assembly women brought a proposal before their state assembly to ban Ann Coulter’s latest book “Godless” from being sold anywhere in the state. When their resolution failed, they went on a crusade imploring booksellers not to stock Coulter’s book. Though Coulter might have very conservative ideas that even some republicans wouldn’t completely agree with, she still has the right to freedom of speech. It is ironic that while democrats ban Coulter’s books, the Republican Party has never once tried to ban Michael Moore’s books or movies.
In July 2004, Democrats had their convention in Boston, Mass. Many of the convention organizers didn’t want news cameras to see protesters right outside of where they were organizing. So, they set up a huge cage that would hold up to 1,000 people and said that anyone who wanted to protest would have to protest inside of that cage. Libertarian talk show host Neal Boortz, who attended this convention, said that the cage was made of “chain link fencing and razor wire.” Of course when time came about a month later for republicans to hold their convention, there were no cages. Democrats who wanted to protest were able to protest anywhere they wanted, up to the building in which republicans were holding the convention. Democrats value the right to protest if it’s against a war they don’t like, but they don’t value the right to protest for anyone who disagrees with them.
Almost a week ago ABC showed a dramatized documentary called “The Path to 9/11.” The facts presented in that documentary were based on the findings of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission which Congress initiated in late 2002. Clinton administration officials including National Security Advisor Samuel Berger and Secretary of State Madaleine Albright tried to scare ABC from showing the documentary. There you have high-level democrats talking about censoring a news outlet because they fear the public would be exposed to something they didn’t want us to know about. Officials at ABC said the documentary was also very critical of the Bush administration and their handling of terrorism pre-9/11. However, republicans recognize the importance of a free press and a citizen’s right to be informed on these matters.
Democratic politicians lately have shown to us that they are no longer the party of the First Amendment. Sometimes they feel a need to ban a book. Sometimes they just need to throw those pesky peaceful protesters inside a cage. Other times the solution to a problem is to force a news outlet to refrain from airing criticism. Most every liberal and democrat I personally know embraces freedom; especially the First Amendment. However, their party, on a national level does not. Americans of all political persuasions need to remind the democratic politicians that we still care for our freedoms.
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Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Sep 15 2006. Filed under Opinion.
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