Either All Speech Is Free, or No Speech Is Free

It all begins and ends with free speech. Either it is all free speech, or none of it is free speech. Are there limits to that statement? Most assuredly. The limits have to do with harming fellow Americans. However, it would be hard-pressed to believe a slogan tee shirt sold on walmart.com poses any threat whatsoever to Americans of any persuasion.

There was a tee shirt selling on walmart.com saying “Impeach 45.” In response, some Trump supporters raised a hue and cried calling for the boycott of Walmart. For those laboring under a misapprehension, the #MAGA movement is very passionate about freedom of speech. Are we not? Is not our whole message; pro-Constitution, pro-freedoms, pro-rights, and anti-fascist?

The Shoe on the Other Foot

What if it was a pro-Trump tee shirt or product? Potentially, Trump supporters would buy items while non-supporters would not. This is the heart of a free market and capitalism. There are boycotting folks on the right who have called for people to give up favorite actors for daring to dislike Trump, the NFL because some nut took a knee at an inappropriate time, and to do our damnedest to ruin an American success story for a third-party seller of a stupid tee shirt. Are they doing these, and other foolish things, in an attempt to prove solidarity with MAGA? Perhaps they have missed the whole point.

Remember, MAGA supporters are not the fascists. We do not believe in telling other people where or how to live, what to say or think, right? We are striving to be rational people, and remain in full possession of our faculties without stomping on another person’s constitutional right of expression. That is who we are. Is it not?

Did You Forget?

It has been my impression for the longest time that MAGA supporters are pro open markets and capitalism. In America, businesses are free to sell all kinds of products. People of one persuasion or another may like them or not. Have I been wrong for so long? Or did some people forget? There is a long line of issues in America that should take preeminence on our to-do list. Why are some people choosing to be so devastated by a damn tee shirt?

While some are preoccupied with an idiotic and unrealistic tee shirt, children are being trafficked in this nation. While some are consumed in boycotting efforts, on behalf of a ridiculous tee shirt, CNN is live broadcasting the return of a child to a woman he clearly does not seem to know and with whom he seems to have no connection. While some are distracted by apparel and other inane items, the State Department is slowly giving up its secret of a child porn epidemic in its ranks. The disgusting truth is coming out about human trafficking. Now is not the time to drop the ball and lose focus of our priorities. Let’s let the left hold on to the fascist title. It suits them far better anyway. We are far too busy ‘making America great again’.