SELECTIVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS NOT CONSTITUTIONAL

SELECTIVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS NOT CONSTITUTIONAL

By Domenick J. Maglio PhD. Traditional Realist

Everyone should be able to freely speak without fear of prosecution. When the power elites select words and an agenda that is admissible or not to be spoken we have thought control. This leads down a path towards totalitarianism.

The condoning of college students intimidating any conservative commentator even fellow students with conservative viewpoints by disruptive behavior, physical threats and actions is un-American. It is accepting and condoning mob rule to prevent an open market place of ideas. In the USA our constitution protects individual rights of free speech and the practice of religion. Our republic was based on a free exchange of ideas to arrive at viable solutions.

Restricting a person’s right to fly the American or confederate flag while celebrating the burning and stomping the proud symbol of the majority of law abiding citizens is not freedom of speech. It is discrimination against people expressing their love of country. Preventing Christians from reading the bible or praying on state university campuses or public places while allowing other religions to do so is discrimination of one religion over another.

To win political favor even major corporations are choosing celebrity winners and losers. Colin Kapernick, a second string quarterback and an ungrateful multimillionaire who expressed his anti American sentiments, exploited his position. He refused to pay homage to the flag and the military by sitting on one knee during the flag salute. This was a disrespectful action toward our gallant military soldiers who put their lives on the line to protect all of us including Mr. Kapernick. His bitterness towards a system that gave him and everyone else in America regardless of race and socio economic standing various opportunities to reach the American dream defines an ungrateful brat. He inappropriately used the NFL forum that was broadcast nationwide to spew his propaganda in the freest nation on earth.

Instead of holding Kapernick to a standard of propriety, the head of the NFL, Roger Godell, supported him by not issuing a consequence for his offensive behavior. Godell attempted to disguise his dereliction of duty by claiming Kapernick was expressing his freedom of speech. Instead of telling him in no uncertain terms as a well paid entertainer using his privilege as an NFL member to disrupt and disrespect a national ceremony to millions of patriotic viewers. Mr. Godell’s unwillingness to label Kapernick’s unpatriotic behavior as out-of-bounds has led to other players following suit in this disgraceful display. It is creating a divisive environment. All CEOs have a responsibility to their organization to demand appropriate behavior for they are representing the organization and the dignity of the nation.

 Mr. Godell did not allow NFL teams to show support for the police by putting a sticker on their helmets but were required to wear red, white and blue cleats on 9/11.  There was no freedom of speech stance that arose from this incident. It appeared that this situation would have alienated the political left and therefore was off limits. Godell had no problem turning his back on the Tim Tebow religious right controversy. Mr. Tebow was attacked by many sports commentators and NFL players for putting one knee on the ground in a gesture of thanks to God while many other players in after-game interviews say, “praise the Lord for my performance” with no media criticism. The selective choosing of losers and winners can have serious consequences. We too have the choice not to spend our entertainment dollars and time watching the NFL that supports such behavior.

Mr. Godell was also silent regarding Bionce’s halftime show at the Super Bowl that was anti police and pro “Black Lives Matter” stoking the flames of anti police feelings. Again there was not a word from him to condemn the false impression of police malice and misbehavior in the Ferguson, Missouri incident. This is especially surprising since even the Department of Justice found Michael Brown, not the police officer, as the perpetrator.

Many athletes and entertainer celebrities are punished for their inappropriate political viewpoints and behavior. Olympic swimmer, Ryan Lochte, lost many lucrative endorsements due to his immature, drunken actions. These company endorsements were dropped because he was no longer “a wholesome role model” to represent their product. Many conservative Hollywood stars are blacklisted after being shown to be closet conservatives. They find themselves unable to find work.

There is no longer freedom of everyone’s ideas protected by the constitution. Whenever there is mention of radical leftist actions and ideas that are outside the bounds of cultural decency the first amendment is cited but this is not acceptable when it comes to the right expressing their first amendment right. Be aware if the traditional American ideology is constantly tainted by calling it hate speech, racism, homophobic, xenophobic or Islamophobic. The attack on traditional Americans exercising their first amendment rights is nothing more than a progressive media attempts to indoctrinate by controlling the flow and narrative of events.

Our nation was founded fighting for the protection of the people’s freedoms from government overreach not for allowing an elite ruling class to use their power to repress and enslave us. Our Constitution and Bill of rights are for everyone, not for the establishment to pick and choose who can express themselves. Selective freedom of speech is an oxymoron to our founder’s principle that all humans have a right to freedom speech and religion.

Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. You can visit Dr. Maglio at www.drmaglio.blogspot.com.