Free Speech VS Fake News
By Jo Lorenz
Free Speech is one of the fundamental principles of a thriving democracy
When petulant politicians openly defame the press and high-profile figures for exercising their Freedom of Speech privilege, there are dangerous domestic and international ramifications. This was evidenced recently by the attempted bombing of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, George Soros, CNN, and other high-profile political targets in the US.
Attempts to suppress the press is neither new, nor an effective long-term governing strategy. It’s been the long-established and flawed practice of parochial and prickly politicians throughout history. Napoleon did it. Hitler did it. Stalin did it. Mussolini did it. All massive narcissistic jerks.
Ask yourself: what role does vicious political rhetoric have to play in collective acts of barbarity?
“It is the press, above all, which wages a positively fanatical and slanderous struggle, tearing down everything which can be regarded as a support of national independence, cultural elevation, and the economic independence of the nation.” — Adolf Hitler.
Yikes. If we’d thrown in some typos, that could literally have been a Tweet!
Rather than paying homage to the warped ideologies of dictators, let’s take a leaf out of John Adams’ book, Founding Father and second President of the United States, who eloquently said: “The liberty of the press is essential to the security of the state.”
Right on Johnny! *raises a figurative finger to oppressive jerkwater jerks*
