The Disappearing 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.” [First Amendment to the Constitution]

The rights guaranteed to Americans under the First Amendment are disappearing at an accelerating speed. The government, particularly those in power, have never liked or embraced the First Amendment. It has always been an impediment to their unquenchable thirst for power. Silencing those with whom you disagree is a most effective method for gaining and maintaining power. That throttling of speech has taken on new and threatening aspects. The examples are far too numerous to list and are well known by anyone who has paid even passing attention to the news in the past two years. Three examples will suffice to illustrate the threats.

In October 2021, at the bidding of the National School Board Association, Merrick Garland and the FBI launched an inquiry into the actions of parents in Northern Virginia who dared to object to the subject matter being taught to their children. For their brazen exercise of their First Amendment speech, they were branded as domestic terrorists. If you think that is a small thing and harmless, you are badly misguided. As of this date, the Attorney General and the FBI have not yet apologized for their action or withdrawn the designation of domestic terrorist from those parents!

The disregard and fundamental misunderstanding [as well as warping] of the First Amendment starts early in America’s broken educational system. By the time students reach college, many are incapable of understanding the importance of the freedom of speech and thought and, perhaps are bad, are unwilling to engage in any discussion challenging their opinions.

The William F. Buckley Program at Yale just released stunning results of its annual survey of college students. The conclusions of the survey should shake the confidence of every thinking American. The survey results fairly scream that American students have been brainwashed into a Soviet mentality. Having been protected from early childhood, awarded trophies for showing up, and never disciplined for their lack of respect and civility to other people, they have arrived at college totally unprepared to hear anything that is not a direct echo of their own often misinformed opinions. Their parents and schoolteachers should be ashamed of themselves for their own negligence in failing to rear young adults capable of taking a place in adult society. Here are the sorry results of the survey:

• 48% of college students expressed hostility to the freedom of speech.

• 41% embraced the notion that violence was acceptable to prevent speech.

• 41% embraced “speech codes” to regulate what can be said on campus.

• 43% felt that “political opinions I find offensive should be reported.”

• 38% believed that “political comments I disagree with can be harmful to mental health.”

• 50% agreed with the statement “America is inextricably linked to white supremacy and most minorities are excluded from the promise of equality.”

• 35% said the Constitution was “outdated.” Only 49% said it should be “followed and respected.”

• 33% said they would prefer to live under socialism. Only 31% preferred capitalism, while 35% were unsure.

• 27% admit to stating their preferred pronouns in formal settings.

• Just 15% identified as conservative.

The level of intellectual intolerance and general ignorance revealed by the survey results play out daily on the campuses of American colleges and universities. Once upon a long time ago, it might have been said by an honest person, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Today, however, that statement of tolerance has been turned on its head in many colleges and universities. "I not only disapprove of what you say, but I will keep you from saying it."

Alliance Defending Freedom has reported that the officials at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) did exactly that to one of their recent master's program graduates, Maggie DeJong. They censored Maggie because of her religious and political views, violating her free speech and due process rights. Maggie was pursuing a master's degree in Art Therapy Counseling at SIUE, to one day counsel victims of childhood trauma. But the university informed Maggie that three students had taken out a "no-contact order" against her. SIUE forbade Maggie from engaging with the three students and denied her constitutional right to defend herself against their allegations. She was prevented from speaking to them in their shared class, at their jobs in the same building, and in public spaces under threat of further punishment from the school. Maggie was given no reason for the “no-contact order.”. Eventually she learned that the university issued the orders because at least one student claimed she was offended by Maggie's speech on topics including religion, politics, critical race theory, and COVID-19 regulations. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MOMENT!!! Maggie was punished simply for expressing her beliefs-beliefs held by millions of Americans.

Maggie did not break any school policy or rule. But university officials ignored her rights and disciplined her based solely on her protected speech.If Maggie can be treated this way because of her religious and political views, who is safe to express their deeply held beliefs?

This kind of censorship is intolerable. It cannot be permitted. It is a frank violation of the Constitution, but it is also a blunt instrument of oppression by an entitled minority against anyone with whom they may disagree. The genius of the American Constitution is the protection of every person against the totalitarian instincts, not just of the government, as with the Biden Administration noted above, but also against the bullying of individuals by other individuals or groups. This has to stop!

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