Freedom in Peril

By William L. Garvin

Having just celebrated our 235th year of American independence, we would be well advised to keep in mind the admonition attributed to Thomas Jefferson that “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” A quick scan of our societal landscape shows that “we the people” are in danger of losing freedoms on many fronts.

We can start with a President who believes that even though he has ordered our troops to fly hundreds of sorties, dropping thousands of bombs that are killing and wounding untold numbers of Libyans, we are not engaged in “hostilities” and he need not confer or receive the approval of Congress. We have a Vice-President who basically threatens unions with his “if you vote Republican, don’t come running to me, you’re on your own, Jack” speech. Just where did he learn that type of basic Chicago thuggery? What happened to old fashioned bribery? Oh yes, it was all in the stimulus bill.

Then there are the Wisconsin unions stooping to new lows by disrupting the Special Olympics ceremonies. Talk about sore losers! Similarly, the leaders of teacher unions have already admitted that it has nothing to do with the kids; it’s totally about union power. As a result, the educational system resembles just another liberal arm of the Democrat party. When a recent study showed that liberals outnumbered conservative professors by a 7 to 1 ratio, you can be assured that very few conservatives will be granted tenure by their leftist counterparts.

Another frightening indictment of our higher educational institutions is their continuing assault on freedom of speech. On many occasions, if a conservative speaker such as Ward Connerly, Ann Coulter, or David Horowitz enters into the “free exchange of ideas” arena that is supposed to characterize our universities and colleges, they are shouted down and prohibited from discussing their points of view by liberal mobs. No such obstacles face liberal or radical speakers. Some universities even attempt to impose additional security fees for “controversial” conservative speakers that they do not charge radicals such as Van Jones, an admitted communist, or any of the advocates for the progressive cause. As usual, the courts strike down these blatant attempts to stifle free speech. Still it is no wonder that more and more people are wondering if the process is one of education or if it is more akin to indoctrination.

To make matters worse, citizens can no longer rely on the media to keep them informed. It has been said that freedom of the press exists only if you own one. The watchdog status they enjoy resembles a pit bull during a Republican administration but is nothing more than a whimpering puppy wetting itself in the corner during the Obama administration. Every gaffe is minimized. Every mistake is forgiven. Every flip flop and reversal is ignored. Every hideous policy failure is glossed over while every tone deaf word, speech, or action is beatified! He carpetbags around the country at taxpayers’ expense raising money for his reelection but then complains about CEO’s using corporate jets. First, maybe you should set the example by cutting back on your lavish entourage that was so cuttingly mocked by the Brits on your recent trip to England. Secondly, maybe you shouldn’t have signed the bill that authorized this tax deduction last year! I suppose you can always blame it on a conspiracy between your teleprompter and your autopen. You’ve already blamed everyone else.

Though he invited Paul Ryan to his speech, sat him in the front row, and then churlishly and publicly berated him, he is still portrayed as a “nice guy.” When he lied about the Ryan plan preventing children with asthma or Down Syndrome from getting medical treatment, he was not challenged. When he said Republicans wanted to “pull the plug on grandma,” no one asked him to explain why the Independent Medical Advisory Board he created under ObamaCare was going to do the same thing. Approaching criminal neglect, the press failed to ask if cutting $500 billion from Medicare to finance ObamaCare wouldn’t of necessity also do exactly the same thing. Methinks the President doth protest too much and accomplish too little!