You and I both realize that the genesis of this country was founded upon the concept of free speech. I may not like or agree with you, but as they say you have to right to say it, even if it makes me angry.
As I mentioned before, in growing up in Houston, we had 3 newspapers and 3 television stations. These were the main sources of news for us at that time. The news people reported the news, not opinionated the news. It seems that every person today interjects all of their pinions into every event of the day.
Big fire on main street…..the reported or journalist delves into the ‘social ramifications ‘ of the fire…not the causes of the fire , or the consequences of the fire or the possible arrests for the fire, but the social effects upon society due to the fire.
With the demise of local newspaper reporting, we are left to the mercy of the national media giants. I will refuse to discuss their names; you know who they are. So, we get the ‘news’ in little bytes from these tech giants, who can parcel out what we can read or see and what we are not allowed to see..
Now I do not want to go off into a rant about how I feel about this, but it certainly seems to be a unlevel playing field. This week, as you know, a large number of conservative sites were shut down totally by these ‘tech’ moguls. However, many other so-called liberal sites were left untouched.
I can understand no one is wanting anyone to get injured or hurt by extremists on either ends of the spectrum. But you cannot allow free speech for one group at the expense of another. How can liberals speak on college campuses but conservatives cannot? Don’t both sides have a point of view? Shouldn’t we be able to attend which ever one we want without being afraid of injury or danger?
Yesterday, in Portland Ore, a bookstore was shut down because he was going to have a sale on a book written by a local author on a topic that was anti-liberal. What’s next, book burning in the street of all the books and literature that half of our country doesn’t like or agree with?
There is a lot I don’t agree with or support. I just don’t buy it. I don’t threaten the store owners or burn the store down because I disagree.
As of yesterday, hotel and Airbnb reservations for the event in Washington D.C. next week were cancelled for anyone coming into the city. While I do not agree that the events last week in D.C. were productive, I do think stopping ordinary citizens for traveling is a little much. Where does this stop?
Accounts for the presence of the National Guard and extra police presence range from 6,000 to 20,000 so who knows the correct number? This is a sad commentary on the mood in this country that we must resort to this to transfer the office of the presidency.
We have always had crazies on both ends of the spectrum, but I do believe the majority of the folks in this country want to live and let live. None of us want our buildings torn down, or our police and fireman injured or people dying as a result of our disagreements.
Our news and forms of communication are being controlled by too tightly a group of people who at the flip of a switch can change what we can say or what we can read.
Is this the country we want?
Is this what we are becoming?
We have lost our national sense of humor and can no longer laugh at ourselves much less anyone else without fear.
I do believe we must refuse to participate in the rhetoric and name calling that is currently in fashion in our country.
If the tech moguls have so much power and so much ability to intercept and shut down the voices and speech of conservatism or liberalism with the touch of a button, then pray tell how do drug sales, sex slave transactions and child pornography continue to exist?
Inquiring minds want to know.
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