Washington Examiner: Why Are Leftists Turning Against Freedom of Speech

Washington Examiner: Editorial- Why Are Leftists Turning Against Freedom of Speech

First of all it is not "Liberals who are turning against Freedom of Speech", just to correct the Washington Examiner editorial page. And you give me all you want about 'Modern Liberals' or contemporary Liberals. But Freedom of Speech is a liberal value from the start and still is. Liberals wrote the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Liberalism hasn't changed, but some of the people who call themselves Liberals have changed as far as how they think politically and ideologically.

Freedom of Speech is not the right to say anything pleasant or to say things that a lot of people approve of. But the right for free people to speak and express themselves freely as long as they aren't libeling, threatening, or inciting violence in public. Which is something that real Liberals understand, but like the Right the Left has its fringe as well with their own fascist wing. That says "this is what it means to be an American and a compassionate progressive person" and if you against what we believe, we are going to try to shut you up even through government force.

The far-left in America are interested in public welfare and progress even over freedom. They care about people's well-being to the point that they believe freedom should be so limited so that everyone can live well. And that just doesn't cover economic policy, but social policy as well. Liberals used to be stereotyped as people who believed in big government when it came to economic policy. But limited if not small government when it came to social and personal issues that came with a lot of personal freedom. But now we are stereotyped as people who believe in big government period and that social welfare and equality over everything including freedom.

The far-left believes that one freedom that Americans should have is not to have to hear things that offends them. Which is what the whole political correctness movement is about. Which is not about Freedom of Speech, but quality speech that they agree with and censoring speech that offends them. It is classic fascism and there is nothing liberal or I would argue even anything American about it. And people who believe in this certainly are not Liberals, but leftist fascists.