Wake up America. Stand up and defend your constitutional rights. Our free, uninhibited and unfiltered access to information is under attack. Our founding fathers knew the vital importance of the press to act as a watchdog on our government, but our current leaders seem to have forgotten. We need to remind them.
Throughout history, dictators and despots around the world have made their top priority one of exorcising a free press, removing their voice from the public ear. In this manner, the people had no access to information the dictators did not want them to hear. Without the voice of opposition, these despots controlled the flow of information, and thereby public opinion. Once they controlled all sources of information, they could begin their campaign of autocratic rule, frequently associated with the removal of ”undesirables” otherwise known as anyone who disagreed with them. These individuals could be framed as enemies of the state, and vile creatures who sought to destroy the country so were in need of silencing and elimination. Without the voice of reason to counteract this false news, how were the average citizens supposed to know the truth of matters?
Unfortunately, maintaining a free press, and the rest of our freedoms and constitutional rights, requires vigilance, education, and thoughtful discerning of what is being reported across all of today’s social media outlets. An exhausting endeavor to be sure, and one far too many individuals are unwilling to take up, preferring instead to simply listen to a very few voices who seem to say the things which sound good to them. Far too many people today refuse to listen to opposing voices and take the time to analyze what they are hearing. We are encouraged to simply hate those who say things which require us to think and take action. We are rewarded when we listen only to the voices lulling us into comfortable ignorance.
Democracy is not for the timid, are the weak-minded. Democracy takes effort. Democracy demands that we stand up and fight for our rights. Respect the rights of the opposition, even if it is speaking against everything we believe, even as we speak out in favor of our own beliefs. Hate, bigotry, slander, and bullying have no place in this country. Let us, instead, conduct intelligent and thoughtful debates on the issues. Demeaning others simply over political differences, shouting down those who disagree with us, those are the tactics of those who strive to oppress others. It is not what our founding fathers would have wished for us.
It is time for “We The People” to stand up for a change in the political discourse in this country. Demand that our elected officials oppose those who demean and seek to eliminate the free press. Let them know that if they will not stand up for the constitution, then they will no longer be allowed the privilege of representing us. We put them in office, they need to know we are their boss, and will act to remove them if they do not act according to our wishes. Let your voice be heard loud and often. VOTE! Contact your legislators to inform them of your opinions on the issues before them. Be the boss, not an absentee landlord.