Freedom Of Speech At Risk

It's one thing for a government to allow private individuals or organizations (who claim to be offended) to silence their opponents with assistance from government agencies (like Canada's Human Rights Commission).

When the government itself uses authoritarian powers to silence political opponents (or anyone else who expresses an opinion not sanctioned by the government), it's a different matter altogether. When a member of the British Parliament can be arrested for pointing out wrongdoing by the ruling party and have his home and office ransacked by police, then you know that freedom of speech is dead.

I'm sure that the MP will eventually be given back his computer and personal papers and issued an apology. "And by the way, we found some personal correspondence and pictures on your computer that you probably don't want your wife to find out about. So, apology accepted, no lawsuit? Good man. Very understanding of you."

It is also apparently illegal in Britain to refer to the Church of Scientology as a "cult." Likewise, in many European countries, it is illegal to publicly deny the Holocaust.

It makes you wonder how Europeans (and even Canadians) can have the gall to criticize the U.S. for our supposed human rights violations (confining unrepentant, dedicated murderers at Guantanamo, for example). Who would like to take responsibility for them? Perhaps we could find good homes for them in, say, San Francisco or Paris.

Speaking of our foreign critics, a quick look at the laughable makeup of the United Nations Human Rights Council is proof enough that the U.S. is far ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to valuing human rights.

People should feel free to say anything they wish, no matter how stupid it might be. That's the easiest way for the rest of us to determine just how stupid they are - and we really need to know.

Thank goodness our freedoms are safe. [/sarcasm]

Joe the Plumber wasn't arrested for disagreeing with Obama's idea of wealth redistribution, but he was "investigated" by several Ohio state agencies looking for something in their official records that might be used as leverage against him by certain liberal interests.

Intimidation by officials who abuse their positions of trust can silence opposing views just as well as laws restricting free speech.

"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedoms of the people by gradual and silent encroachment of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." -- James Madison

I'd feel better if those state officials were fired and charged with official misconduct, but it looks like a mild slap on the wrist is worst punishment any of them will receive. Stalin would be proud of them.