Free speech sounds like a great and noble ideal, doesn’t it? In the U.S., we’re all programmed to think this is ‘the land of the free’ — and that unfettered free speech always upholds our vaunted ‘freedom.’
We’re also trained from birth to see any restrictions on public speech as intolerable and ‘un-American.’ But after watching numerous social and political disasters unfold in the U.S. over the past several decades — especially during this past decade of hate-mongering ‘Trumpism’ — the unquestioned ‘positive impact’ of unfettered free speech increasingly looks like a total delusion.
Is it really true that free speech always supports and enhances freedom and democracy? Is it always true that total free speech enhances our society in positive ways?
I’m starting to conclude that the answer to both these crucial questions is ‘NO.’ In this essay, I’ll present my arguments against our current far-too-lax version of ‘free speech’ — and I challenge anyone to refute them using logic, accurate information, and historical references.
Also, I’ll say up front that I will not respond to ad hominem attacks, twisted partisan ‘logic,’ or politicized lies and disinformation. (And yes, I will personally decide which responses are accurate and truthful and which are not worth a response.)
A dangerous, destructive loss of trust
First, a few observations. Every society on earth has placed some restrictions on ‘free speech,’ particularly public speech that incites violence or hatred that leads to violence. Even the U.S. has laws against ‘hate speech’ and open incitement of violence.
But that’s where the similarities between societies end. Totalitarian and autocratic societies often clamp down on public speech and the press, in an effort to control the public narrative and suppress dissent, while more democratic societies allow much more free public speech. More… but not total, and not without some limits or restrictions.
With the rise and dominance of ‘Trumpism’ (and social media), however, a new twist on the free speech issue has emerged: the increasing prevalence of disinformation and outright public lying. I contend that free speech, as an ideal, can only work well in practice when there is strong underlying public trust in most people’s honesty, fairness, and basic good intentions. For instance, persistent public lying used to be considered shameful and was consistently confronted and rejected.
Yet today… not so much. Over the past decade, especially, the public’s trust has been shattered, again and again. Due to the very public lies, half-truths, dark innuendo, and distortions emanating from the mouths of *Bleep* (I refuse to write his name anymore), his MAGA followers, Fox ‘News,’ and right-wing media, the basic foundations of public trust and the entire good-faith enterprise we call ‘American democracy’ have been effectively destroyed.
In such a cynical and distrustful environment, most of our public speech has turned toxic. When a large percentage of our public speech and media-sponsored ‘news’ is either deceptive or heavily slanted and ‘politicized,’ why should anyone trust what they hear or see on TV, the Internet, or in public speech?
I think this deep and well-deserved loss of trust is one major reason our too-lax free speech laws are proving to be our undoing as a nation.
Can civilization survive widespread public lying and deception?
This ongoing loss of trust and faith in our democratic ‘experiment’ is, without exaggeration, devastating. In the past, we could confidently expect that most (not all) of what we saw or heard in the public square was accurate, truthful, and evidence-based.
But no more. Over the past decade, we’ve all been subjected to an intensifying deluge of lies, faithless, coercive disinformation, and blatant manipulation. Such a deluge must, by its very nature, erode the trust necessary to support and operate an effective democracy.
What I see happening all around us, now, is that Americans have gotten used to massive amounts of public lying and deception and have come to expect it. But when our supposed ‘free speech’ ideals get twisted and undermined by widespread public lying/disinformation, then free speech is no longer ‘positive’ and instead becomes an ongoing curse and public menace.
When we’ve got all manner of online and media groups spouting hateful, racist rhetoric and spreading lies and made-up ‘news,’ guess what? Civilization cannot survive such an onslaught for long.
. . .
Well-meaning, ‘patriotic’ Americans are often horrified by the idea of placing limits on free speech. But when free speech is used as the ‘cover’ for outright lying, deception, and even sedition, we can’t just pretend that everything is ‘fine’ and will ‘work out.’
No, I’d say the opposite is true. When the precious ideal of free speech has been trampled and oh-so-cleverly used by seditious manipulators trying to overthrow our ‘liberal democracy,’ then we’re in a whole new ball game.
Our society has undergone massive and destructive changes over the past decade. If we want our nation to survive and successfully adapt, we have to acknowledge how our social reality has shifted — and act accordingly.
How the far right ‘owned’ and manipulated the free speech issue
One dangerous social pattern that has emerged over the past few years is that *Bleep*, MAGA, and the far right have successfully ‘owned’ the free speech issue. That is, they have perfected their efforts to dominate public discourse in the U.S., mainly by screaming ‘Censorship!’ every time someone challenges them or tries to rein in their lies and hateful, racist provocations.
They successfully paint any opposition or editorial modification as intolerable ‘cancellation’ of right-wing and conservative viewpoints — even (or especially) when they are engaging in deliberate deception and overt public manipulation. The bottom line is that they will brook no interference with their seditious objectives and will say or do anything to keep getting their way and subvert our democratic norms.
This public shift is nothing short of an unmitigated sociopolitical disaster. I don’t know how to state it any more forcefully. As noted, *Bleep* and the far right have perverted and abused our free speech ideals purely to benefit themselves and their hateful ‘policies.’ Then… they proceed to ignore, suppress, or actively squash all other points of view.
Their attempts (mainly quite successful) to suppress other views and punish those who question or dare to oppose them reveal the utter hypocrisy underlying their loud, frequent protestations about their ‘free speech rights.’ It has become obvious, over the past decade, that they have no intention whatsoever to honor the free speech rights of most Americans: liberals, progressives, Black or Hispanic folks, LGBTQ+ folks, or anyone else who doesn’t toe the far-right party line.
All we need to do is observe the many ways *Bleep* and the far right have gone after and attacked the free speech and actions of librarians, public health officials, voting officials, poll workers, the media, our ‘free press,’ law firms, academic institutions like Harvard, and all DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) efforts.
. . .
That’s quite a litany of overt oppression. Within it, we can easily see an ugly and very dangerous scenario emerging. *Bleep* and the far right are all for free speech for themselves and their faithful followers — but are equally eager to oppress and abuse everyone else! They have gotten quite adept at using and abusing our free speech ideals and laws for their own short-term advantage — but have no qualms at all about removing or suppressing the free speech rights of everyone else.
Hmm, is this country even a ‘democracy’ anymore? As noted earlier, “Totalitarian and autocratic societies often clamp down on public speech and the press, in an effort to control the public narrative and suppress dissent.” To be clear: *Bleep* and his minions are utilizing and encouraging exactly these kinds of vicious autocratic clampdowns.
Clearly, if we can’t reverse this trend and re-imagine our free speech ideals and laws — our society and ‘free’ way of life are doomed. There is no easier, ‘nicer’ way to put it.
The truth is staring us in the face. Will we do anything about it?
To me, all the points I’ve made are in-your-face obvious. Anyone who has been keeping up with the news and current events should be able to see the factual truth of what I’m saying.
Of course, the massive question hanging over this discussion is this: Exactly how should we reform our free speech ideals and laws? But answering this question is far beyond the scope of this essay since it will involve major public discussion and investigation and, undoubtedly, a drawn-out and grueling public process.
All I’ve attempted to do in this essay is present some clear arguments against our current too-lax version of free speech. But if we can’t even agree on the fundamental issues at stake, there is probably little hope of creating positive change.
If our system is deeply broken, but many Americans keep denying that evident truth — well, there’s little hope of ever fixing it.
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This post was previously published on Rome Magazine.
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