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Saving the Republic from the Heckler’s Veto: The Moral Imperative to Elect Trump
Photo credit: Russell Contreras.
We know that freedom of speech is under attack in America. Whole areas of discourse are off limits in the public square; wrongthink is punished by federal or state investigation; and any attempt to puncture the illusions of the unhinged Far-Left is increasingly met by violence which — in the classical statist two-step — leads to official censorship on the grounds of public safety.
It’s disgraceful when it happens on a college campus. It is another — one might almost call it an extinction-level event — when it occurs during a presidential election campaign. What happened at the Trump event in Albuquerque is just the first taste of what promises to be a long summer of hate directed at the heart of the Republic: freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom tout court.
Do not be misled by the protesters attacking the police and shouting down the Man; the Man has their back. At their direction, the circle of acceptable thought will be shrunk. The definition of racism will be expanded. “Authoritarian” and similar terms will be defined down and used as an excuse to suppress any speech, any behavior — indeed, any thought — that does not lead to the expansion and glorification of the state.
And America will die. Maybe with a bang. Perhaps with a whimper. But all that makes America positively different will be gone. You may hate what Donald Trump has to say, but your moral duty is to vote for him for saying it.
Hyperbole? Ask the #NeverTrumps.
Published in General
I believe it was Voltaire who said, “I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to death your right to become the leader of the free world.”
This is funny because it is based on the assumption that a fascistic lout like Trump who sues and attacks anyone critical of him has any deep commitment to the Constitution or the First amendment when he has repeatedly talked about criminalizing anti-Trump speech.
This is the Reichstag fire ploy updated to the 21st Century. The Nationalist Left and the Internationalist Left are engaging in provocative thesis and antithesis role playing games hoping to either instill fear or outrage and produce a electoral win.
Let them kill each other in the streets. There is no moral suasion in either group.
A lot of #NeverTrumpers have denounced these protests. Perhaps you aren’t reading or listening to them.
Thanks for the compliment but I don’t necessarily agree.
Perhaps we’re stuck at the kids table because of our bubbly personalities?
Careful with the National Socialist allusions, it makes people cranky.
Either that or they are intimidated by our good looks.
Especially when both are operating at TDS Mona Charen levels of innumeracy and illogic in assuming that, if Trump does something really evil/criminal, Paul Ryan won’t vote to impeach and Lindsey Graham won’t vote to convict (whereas Democrats would join Republicans in stopping lesser Hillary actions).
I don’t have a point to make, but am compelled to call extra attention to “operating at TDS Mona Charen levels of innumeracy and illogic” Well done!
Very cute deceptively altering my point by use of ellipses. Ironic you that you fret about the moral imperative of free speech while twisting others words in self-serving fashion. Little wonder you don’t understand why people can’t vote for either of the vile candidates that are on offer.
Exactly as I see it. If Crooked Hillary wins, the Democrats will happily go along with her evil. If Trump wins, the Republicans will resist his attempts to do evil (e.g., legalize libel). If Trump goes too far, Republicans won’t hesitate to impeach him. they don’t much like him anyway. If Hillary wins, the Democrats would never join in any effort to reign in her excesses.
I see it as an either or choice, because I live in a swing state. If I lived in Oregon,my vote would not matter. I would feel perfectly free to vote for the Libertarian or write in some random name.
LOL, good one.
Can we also stop the “Trump is the Extinction Event national socialist ( small letters ) Death of the Republic” posts too?
Please understand that this conversation will continue until the election, done to death or not. It interests so many, and it allows folks to voice their issues. It is pointless to point out that the conversation has already been had.
Your only hope is for you to avoid the conversation if you are (understandably) tired of it. By no means would I or almost all folks here, I think, suggest you are a bad person for electing to vote differently from me or them.
I shudder at the thought of National Review lighting Jonah Goldberg’s pants on fire and marching through the tony streets of New York with him still in them.
Is there no justice in a world gone mad?
Do you think the posts telling non #NTs that they are bad people are going to change those people’s position?
It is true that my quoting was in service of my own message: that I’m not being serious.
Yes–been thinking about this. I’ve concluded that Libertarians and SoCons agree on disliking Trump for his apparent disdain for the constitution, his clear authoritarian streak, and just his lying and boorishness in general. Libertarians are more offended than SoCons by his immigration and trade stances but don’t care much about his fecklessness on social issues, while SoCons may or may not like his trade and immigration positions, but really care about the social issues. Do I have that right? Anyway, I’m happy to make common cause with you fellas whenever possible.
Well, to be fair, it’s hard to tell just when people are being serious these days! Reality has become parody.
You haven’t been reading the conversations, I see.
Meh, this libertarian cares about his fecklessness on some social issues.
The goal now seems to be having a president so vile or incapable that we can achieve bipartisan opposition to him/her in both houses of congress. The ends of liberty may be served in this, but it’s not a very clean way to get there.
At this point, I do not. I think this entire conversation on both sides has been thoroughly explored and beaten to death, buried, exhumed, run over with a steam roller, blown up, it’s ashes gathered and rocketed into space, crash landed back on earth, beaten some more, set on fire, stamped out, autopsied, re-animated and now continues to wander across the site like a mindless zombie, eating the brains of anyone who continues to engage it.
No, you were just engaging in some friendly mockery. I got that.
The brothels of Cleveland will be safe.
I’m glad to hear that!
A fine and perfectly reasonable point without any qualifying but… Cheers
Oh, I’ve been reading them (as many as I can take). I do not recall seeing anyone say you were a bad person. I hope that did not actually happen, even in the heat of argument.
Personally, you and I have agreed on plenty in different conversations, even if we do not agree on the Trump issue. Anyone who engages in name-calling as part of argument (really as a substitute for argument), I have no respect for anyway. That is why I have so little respect to almost all progressives. That is what they do.
I’ve been saying I’m a rather socially conservative libertarian for years around here, so I’m a little surprised at your surprise.
Well, our battles have been pretty epic.
This depends on one believing that Trump can actually defeat the hecklers, rather than merely heckling back at them.
On one topic. We’re not as far apart as you think. Plus you’re daughter is kind of all right. I’ve spend the last 6 months posting everything she writes for NRO on my facebook for my friends to read.
Thanks, Jamie. Yeah–we done good with her.