When Is Free Speech Not Free?

When that which you wish to say violates the values of those in power. This post is, perhaps, one of those posts I make that will step on the toes of even my fellow conservatives. Fifty plus years ago this country's fear of communism led us down a path which drew ire as we burned books and black listed people simply because of their beliefs and what they said in public (and sometimes just in private). Though some of these people actually did attempt to subvert the United States and even committed acts of espionage, most were simply found guilty of believing something different than what those of us in power deemed acceptable.

The pendulum has now swung and liberals and progressives are now in power and the exact opposite seems to be occurring. Whereas, fifty years ago, our students in public schools were somewhat forced to participate in school prayers and Christian-based activities, now, students are not even allowed the choice to express their Christian beliefs.

I saw this first hand this evening at my son's high school basketball game. Andy attends a private Christian school. They take the time to gather in a circle at center court before every home game to offer up a prayer for both teams, for safety and to thank God for the opportunity to play this simple game. Not a single person from the opposing team, a local public high school, was allowed to join them at center court. Surely there are Christians on that team. Even some non-Christians are often open minded enough to appreciate such an act of sportsmanship and friendship so as to join in on the prayer, if given the freedom to do so.

But in this case, the kids are not permitted to join in on the prayer. Why? Because of some Progressive interpretation of a letter written by Jefferson 200+ years ago...a letter that Progressives have chosen to use to remove God from the supposed free thoughts of our people, especially our children.

Another current event is leaving Progressives seething. One of the country's greatest college football players is a devout and outspoken Christian. Tim Teebow, of the University of Florida, is a Heisman Trophy winner (2008) and yet, when a Super Bowl ad is said be in the works that would show his mother explaining to him why she didn't have an abortion when she was pregnant with him, liberals fume and call for the ad to be pulled by CBS...under the same black-listing threats that McCarthy-ists of fifty years ago were accused of doing to Hollywood elite.

Apparently, the right of a woman to choose, in the eyes of Progressives, only means the right to choose and not the right to tell other people why you chose what you chose. I guess they that such an ad would be placing too much undo influence on pregnant women. These women would clearly be incapable of making a right choice with such information at her disposal. Just as the high school student wouldn't be capable of making an intelligent choice about what to believe if he/she were exposed to people openly expressing their own non-Progressive beliefs.

Here's a challenge to make to your Progressive "friends": why is it so easy to trust kids with information supporting the homosexual lifestyle, but not possible to trust them with information speaking out against such behavior? Why is it so plausible that they can trust two teenagers with a condom to make "right" decisions, but its not possible to trust them with information regarding the benefits of self-controlled abstinence? Why is that pregnant woman trusted with the choice about life and death of an unborn child, but not trusted to make such choices with information regarding the detrimental effects of choosing an abortion or adoption or keeping the baby? And why is it considered enlightened to expose our children to Witchcraft, Paganism and even Islam, but archaic and dangerous to allow children of Christian families to openly express their own beliefs?

Progressives aren't more enlightened or advanced. They are just the people in power right now and as such they, too, can clearly prove just how abusive they can be of such power. You'll just have to excuse me if I won't keep silent about your abuse of power, usurpation of authority, and blatant hypocrisy. Fortunately, you won't be in power much longer.