Reply #63: Wake up Folks! Its another hit on the freedom of speech! [View All]

[trudyco]

It seems like there has been a concerted effort to psychologically beat people up who want to use their right to freedom of speech.

First there was Churchill, then the guy from Harvard, then the students and the red star in CA, the Sponge Bob business... I keep hearing about 1 a week or so. Testing us. Trying to see how far they can cower us. Trying to define a really warped idea of patriotism. The neocons are particularly interested in teens - they are the most likely to cause an uprising, especially if there is a draft.

I've seen 2 cards being played:
1)They are claiming that liberal views are suppressing them of their neocon views, making them feel "uncomfortable". They are twisting freedom of speech, debate, discussing various ideas into somehow this is "liberal" and creating a hostile environment for their conservative views. I mean, who wants to be accused of creating a hostile environment for their students?

2)In this take they are trying to say that freedom of speech in public schools, respect for others in the world and their language, is somehow being unpatriotic. So if you are a real patriot you are basically a xenophobe. More importantly, you don't speak out or you risk offending somebody. Who wants to be accused of being unpatriotic? Of offending their students?

Psychological suppression. Trying to define what can and can't be said - especially in high schools and colleges.

They've pulled the card of trying to define what is patriotic in the past and gotten away with it. I think they are losing steam. A lot fewer people are going to buy this this time around. Protesting foreign languages for a week is a real stretch.

Which worries me. What crisis will they create to whip up patriotism again? OK. I'm wearing my tinfoil curls again.