The First Amendment

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."  

--- The Life of Voltaire by  Evelyn Beatrice Hall

 One of the things conservatives love to lord over everyone is their absolute featly and devotion to the United States Constitution. That they and only they have respect for this important document that provides the frame work for the government of the United States of America. 

Whenever conservatives are challenged with a progressive policy or law that they don't like, they immediately pronounce the policy and it's defenders as being opposed to the Constitution.

Yet for people who pronounce themselves so devoted to the United States Constitution, it is remarkable how little they understand it.

Particularly the First Amendment. 

Here is the text of the 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.

What happens is some damn fool conservative talking head will take to the radio airwaves or cable news or newspapers or what have you and spout off some damn fool nonsense that is either factually not true or is considered offensive to a larger audience. 

At which point the proprietors of the radio station or cable news network or newspaper or what have you will suspend or fire their damn fool ass for saying damn fool things. 

At which point the aggrieved damn fool conservative will wail to the heavens that their First Amendment rights have been taken away, woe is me, boo hoo hoo! 

Except this is bullshit .

There is nothing in the First Amendment that requires radio stations or cable news networks or newspapers or what have you to put up with anyone's damn fool nonsense. 

The First Amendment is clear in that "Congress shall make no law....prohibiting the free exercise or abridging the freedom of speech".  

These aggrieved parties will claim a bias against a conservative perspective.  The bias is against blatant lies, propaganda and hostile rhetoric.  

If a radio station manager says "Get your lying ass off my radio station", this is NOT a First Amendment issue. 

Which brings us to as all things sadly must...

(Oh my God! When will we ever be done with this son of a bitch?!) 

Donald Trump.

Donald Trump has instigated a law suit against Google, Facebook and Twitter alleging that his various suspensions from social media platforms is a violation of his First Amendment rights.  

You may recall that Li'l Donnie's suspensions from social media came about because of...

1) his incessant lying about the outcome of the 2020 Presidential election and

2) the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th caused by his incessant lying.  

Seeing that Donald Trump was more trouble than he was worth and what he was saying and doing was wrong, the private citizens who own and manage these privately owned social media platforms opted to kick his ass to the curb for lying and promoting violence.

Congress did not do one damn thing to abridge or restrict Trump's First Amendment right to free speech. 

But Trump and his sniveling squad of sycophants are casting this as a First Amendment issue.    

The same people who claim to be true blue adherents to the United States Constitution. 

The quote that begins this post, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it", reflects an important ideal about the right of free expression. 

But when that ideal has been corrupted to spread lies, misinformation and unproven conspiracy theories, this poses the greatest threat to that right.  Yes, we have a right to express ourselves but that also comes with responsibility to the truth and how that expression affects others.  

You may have a right to say shit.

We have a right not to put up with it.