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Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Show-Me The First Amendment

  Some funny things happened after Barack Obama was elected President. People started to read the Declaration of Independence. They started to read the Constitution. They started to read the precious documents that founded our nation.
  A certain segment of the population, call them Tea Partiers, crazy right-wingers, pick your pejorative, began to fully understand what then Candidate Obama meant when he said he would "fundamentally transform" the country.
  When the generation of peace and love took charge, you know, those champions of tolerance and free speech, they became the very thing they fought so hard against all throughout the 60's. They became "the man". They decided that anyone who disagreed with the President was a racist. Then they set about shutting them down.
  In Missouri, the center of the country, the heartland, where most people don't care a whole lot about what happens in far away places like New York City, a disturbing trend began to emerge. In 2009, a report by the Missouri Information Analysis Center, advised Law Enforcement to be on the lookout for "right-wing extremists". These of course were the people with "Don't Tread On Me", or Ron Paul bumper stickers on their cars. They have extreme views, like opposing illegal immigration or federal taxes. They were even branded domestic terrorists.
 Then, just a few weeks ago, a rodeo clown at the State Fair, did what rodeo clowns have done for years. He donned a presidential mask, and poked fun at the President. The remedy to that form of free speech? The unnamed clown has been banned from working as a rodeo clown in Missouri permanently. Just last weekend, there was a highway overpass "Impeach Obama" rally in St. Charles. Not only did the Highway Patrol attempt to remove ordinary Americans and keep them from exercising their first amendment rights, two of them were arrested when the "suggestion" that they leave was not followed, and jailed for 24 hours.
  So is the first amendment becoming an endangered species? How ironic. Usually endangered species are federally protected. That is not happening with this administration and this president. it will be, once again, up to ordinary Americans to do so. Freedom of speech is the heart and soul, the life blood of what it means to be an American. Our nation was formed by the debate and dissent of ordinary men, who believed that being able to stand up and say what you think about anything was paramount. Why, in Missouri of all places, is the first amendment being compromised? Missourians are no-nonsense people. They know that every other right we enjoy, given to us by our Creator, not our government, hinges on freedom of speech. Should it become extinct, we are no different than any other people on the planet. It is what defines our exceptionalism.
  Many an endangered species have been brought back from the brink of extinction. As a born and bred Missourian, I would hope that the Show-Me state does not become the show place for disappearing liberties.            

1 comment:

  1. Ask Nixon about the commands police need to follow.
    Then consider McCaskill, who is taking the battle, through other means, to the heartland.
    They too follow orders from a higher-up, shown with a mask.

    P.S. The one shown being arrested,before the video starts, would not raise his hands, and police were using protocol to grab him. Know the law and your rights, before you act.

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