Attacks on Free Speech
Some attackers are government officials sworn to “uphold the Constitution” …
On September 25, 1789, the First Congress of the United States Passed a Joint Resolution Proposing Amendments to the Constitution.
The opening paragraph of the Joint Resolution explains why the amendments were proposed:
The Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added….
The first ratified Article in the Resolution became the First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The Transcription of the Joint Resolution is on display in the Rotunda in the National Archives Museum
Despite this illustrious origin, the First Amendment is a target of attack by a number of prominent persons, including government officials who have sworn to “uphold the Constitution” …
John Kerry, former Secretary of State, Senator, and Lieutenant Governor (MA), told the World Economic Forum (WEF) on September 25, 2024:
Our First Amendment stands as a major block to be able to just, you know, hammer it [‘disinformation’] out of existence.
Richard Stengel, former State Department Undersecretary and Chairperson and CEO of the National Constitution Center ( ‼️ ), wrote in the Washington Post on October 29, 2019:
Yes, the First Amendment protects the "thought that we hate," but it should not protect hateful speech that can cause violence….
Bill Gates, {…whose work “is not obviously politicized… [but] coordinate[s], organize[s], and/or influence[s] … major international non-governmental organizations (NGOs)1…} told CNET on September 18, 2024:
The US is a tough one because we have the notion of the First Amendment….
Tim Walz, Governor (MN) and Vice-Presidential candidate, told MSNBC on December 29, 2022:
There's no guarantee to free speech on misinformation or hate speech, and especially around our democracy.
Ketanji Brown Jackson, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, said in an Oral Argument on March 18, 2024 {…responding to counsel’s argument that “the moment that the government identifies an entire category of content that it wishes to not be in the modern public sphere, that is a First Amendment problem.”}:
Your view has the First Amendment hamstringing the government in significant ways….
As you consider the implications of attacks on freedom of speech, hark back to James Madison, principal author of the 1st Amendment, in his proposed toasts for “An American Dinner”, July 4, 1798:
"The freedom of speech; May it strike its enemies dumb.”
Intriguing question: When is a ‘non-governmental organization’ (NGO) NOT ’non-governmental? Food for thought: “Does the Federal Government Fund any NGOs? Which ones?” ; “A New Look at How US Nonprofits Get Really Big” ; “Work with USAID: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)”
If you want to suppress my freedom to speak
Then clearly the truth is not what you seek
Miss Information
Is clearly representing A story
That belongs in the fiction section
And why should those who gain the most from my silence
Be the ones to determine if I have a right to make an objection?
There was a circle where people were talking about the harms of gossip, external and lateral violence. The Elders talked about the value, principles and actions of "Do No Harm". One Elder mentioned that she has never heard a disparaging word about another from her husband in their 40 years of marriage. She and her husband are both dear to me, and if you have ever heard him yell "move", you move, because its about warning of being in potential harms way, awareness of relational responsibility and the energy in the sound alone is understood even if you didn't know what "move" meant. Is this Intuition, extrasensory perception, instinct, common sense or natural intelligence? Love can be fierce.
Today the "power" of speech is willingly given away and unwillingly dominated, by how many people are following, listening, repeating, believing, selling and buying the speech. Speech has been commodified. This is a different kind of power than the speech of a hurricane, butterfly or a prayer song. To not listen and understand the speech of a hurricane is the devastating "cost" of an anthropocentric worldview.
Steve Newcomb taught us that the prefix and suffix of "dom" means domination. So, now, in my thinking "freedom of speech" means free domination of or over speech - to freely dominate the commons of speech, and there is a price tag one must be able to pay to "freely dominate". Spaces of speech commons are now bought and sold. Some spaces are to sell the promotion of violence and where objecting to the promotion of violence and violent speech is now called censorship. Mind us that speech is the expression of thought and some thoughts become actions. And there are "laws" protecting violent thoughts, speech and actions. My daddy called it "legalized murder". The doctrines and bulls are the papal thoughts that became laws into actions of domination over mind, body, emotion & spirit. “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” really? is that like "kill the Indian, save the man" ? at residential schools that are the only "schools" that have graveyards for children?
In the scheme of truthing and lying, truthing and lying have some things to work out about "free speech". How can we "free speech" without liberating thought? Where does thought come from?
How did it get here? Is thought intelligence? Humans have more than 5 senses.
In my dreaming, humanity will decide to become beauty way prayers in motion.
Thank you for listening to my musings.