The perils and glories of Amendment I

As I was sitting here watching the nightly cable news and muddling over the usual ideological battles I had an epiphany of sorts. I thought, in a country that embraces freedom of speech and liberty(or atleast as it is stated in the Constitution), socialist and liberal progressive thoughts and ideas are allowed to be expressed and embraced. In fact, under this current regime it is being preached from the pulpit of the White House. Which only proves that in a free society an enemy to the very country who he or she represents can achieve high office. I know it sounds crazy and antithetical, but here we are. Not only is Barack Obama president, but there are hoards of congressmen and senators in elected office who are America haters as well. Who blame America first, no matter what.

Now, in a country where socialist, progressive liberalism were the order of the day and part of the tenets of that country's founding principles, antithetical thoughts and ideas would not have the same freedom to be expressed as are the liberal suppositions in a free society. It's quite ironic... and frustrating. But with freedom comes the freedom to fail or choose poorly as well as wisely. It's the same choice that God affords us everyday of our lives which only proves that God is love and not a dictator or totalitarian. Not so with liberals. They eschew the arena of ideas and any freedom of debate or descent especially when they are in power. The very liberty of expression they are afforded in a free society they would and will vehemently revoke from all who disagree.

Freedom is a hard thing, but it's the best thing. With rights come responsibility. Unfortunately, it seems that more people assert the former while fleeing from the latter. So the main objective would be to change peoples hearts. To find a way to get them to treasure their God given rights and to take seriously their God given responsibilities. So that eventually there would be more people embracing the total concept of free speech and free thought, rather than those who would place their "boot on the throat" of the First Amendment thus silencing it, and us altogether.

In the end, I guess what I am saying is that in a free society there will and should be descenters and their freedom to do so without fear of retribution should be preserved. But, in a liberal society that only holds disdain for descent from liberal thought, the very freedom that allowed them to attain their power would, by ideological necessity be abolished.

If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.
George Washington