Trump Thinks Free Speech Is For The Right - Others Must Be Punished For It

 

Right-wingers have been whining about censorship since Trump began his lies in his first campaign. They didn't like him being called out on his untruths. They claimed he was covered by the free speech provision of the Constitution's First Amendment. They were right. The hateful and untrue things Trump said were protected speech.

But it seems that their belief in free speech is limited only to those they agree with - those expounding right-wing ideas. 

Since Charlie Kirk's death, they have been trying to make him a martyr. And they are very upset that many on the left (and in the center) have been pointing out that Kirk was not really a good person. He supported racist, homophobic, and misogynistics views - and even said that the deaths of innocent citizens was OK to protect the right to own a gun. 

Trump, AG Bondi, and many others on the right now want to punish those who disparage the memory of Kirk (even though much of it is just using Kirk's own words). They call it hate speech. AG Bondi said anyone using hate speech (saying bad things about Kirk) would be "gone after" by the law.

"Hate speech" and offensive speech are protected by the Constitution. That's been decided by the Supreme Court. Even real hate groups (like the KKK) get to say whatever they want as long as they don't specifically instruct someone to commit a crime. And you don't get to ban or censor speech just because it offends you.

I am personally offended by many things right-wingers (including Trump and his cabinet) routinely say. But as wrong as their statements might be, and as offensive as I find it, I know it is protected speech. 

Free speech is essential to the survival of a democracy like ours. If you ban or censor speech that you don't like, you put a knife in the heart of democracy. You don't have to like the speech of others, and you have the right to vigorously oppose it - but you don't have the right to censor or punish it.

Censoring or punishing speech (no matter how offensive) is a giant step toward an authoritarian state. But sadly, it seems that is what the MAGA right wants.