Posted by
JDComments on Thursday, February 01, 2007 6:35:43 PM
Last night I watched Alan Colmes, Sean Hannity's insignificant other, try to get Newt Gingrich to admit Dick Cheney was trying to "chill" free speech by saying the dissenters in this country were giving comfort to the enemy.
Gingrich gave the correct answer- people have the right to their opinion, but they shouldn't always do something just because they are allowed to. As a parent I consider this the most important thing you can teach your child, the essence of growing up, and yet Colmes just didn't seem to get it. As I sat there swearing at his intransigence , I also marveled at his stupidity.
Is it so hard to understand that the First Amendment , restricting governmental constraints on speech, is not to be taken as carte blanche to do or say whatever you want. Rather it defers to the individual with the expectation that his morality, integrity or whatever else you want to call it will guide him in his decision making . Liberty is not license, but freedom from the government so as to allow personal choice.
Liberals, by disparaging religion, relativizing morality, and encouraging indulgence in anything that feels good have destroyed all the guideposts that men have always used to make moral choices, and in their place have left the void of the First Amendment, which says you can say anything you want. Thus Colme's relentless harping on the the perceived "chill" that Liberals lament whenever anyone criticizes their thoughtless rants.
Is he so stupid as to believe the enemy would not find solace and motivation in hearing Americans decry the war and demand retreat? Unfortunately I didn't hear Gingrich ask him that, because I would love to hear his answer. Perhaps he thinks the enemy will be so impressed by the tolerant Liberal environment which allows what should be considered treasonous actions to be aired that they will surrender? Or not.
As your children grow older you allow them more and more "freedom", hoping that all you've taught them will guide them to do the right thing, even when that means they have to deny themselves something. This is a lesson Liberals have yet to learn, and their poor upbringing is endangering us all.