“Get that son of a bitch off the field”

Donald Trump (09/22/2017)

 

Referring to NFL players who have followed Colin Kaepernick’s lead and taken a knee during the national anthem, President Trump’s recent rants demonstrate he has clearly forgotten his oath of office to, “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States”.

Parenthetically, Kaepernick’s initial protest was sitting on the bench during the national anthem.  A Navy Seal suggested he could still exercise his right of free speech while not disrespecting the anthem by “taking a knee”.

Whatever Trump’s motivation, likely an appeal to his eroding base, it is another overt example of the growing assault from both the right and the left on freedom of speech.

For years, progressives have taken the position that speech should be free only so long as the content is not controversial, overly conservative or might hurt someone’s sensitive ego.

Demonstrations have become commonplace on the Berkley, Columbia and other campuses when invited speakers views run amok of liberal ideologies.  Some colleges and high schools have limited speech except in narrow “free speech zones”.  While his Secretary of Education has embarked on a campaign to end restrictions on speech at schools and universities, Trump’s vendetta against NFL players, coaches and owners exercising their rights to protest what they see as societal injustices does just the opposite and emboldens his minions to restrict content they dislike.

It is ironic that Donald Trump who managed to obtain five draft deferments and never served in the military now piously wraps himself in the flag, the national anthem and military symbolism at a time when North Korea, Iran, ISIS, peace between Israel and the Palestinians, hurricane relief for Puerto Rico, fixing the ACA, fair tax reform and Russian attempts to undermine our democratic institutions should be foremost on his increasingly elusive agenda!

A recent Brooking’s Institution survey found among our nation’s so-called brightest and best-educated young people, there is a disturbing lack of knowledge about and appreciation for First Amendment to our Constitution which says; “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

When asked whether the First Amendment protects “hate speech,” 44% of college students said, “No” and 16% said, “I don’t know.”  Only 39% knew so-called hate speech is Constitutionally protected.   Some 62% believe the Constitution “legally” requires a speaker with an alternative or opposing view to appear at events featuring “a speaker known for making statements that many students consider to be offensive and hurtful.”

When asked whether the use of violence to prevent someone they find offensive from speaking is acceptable, 19% of college students said, “Yes”!

Consider that for a moment; nearly 1/5 of our country’s future public and private sector leaders believe it is acceptable to suppress speech they find offensive through violence.

Freedom of speech, verbal and non-verbal, is the most fundamental of our precious liberties.  While it permits individuals to voice their views (other than for a very limited number of exceptions such as yelling, “Fire!” in a crowded theater or inciting imminent violence) without fear of retribution … it concurrently places a burden on others to listen to or observe such speech even when its content is abhorrent to everything they believe or when personally offensive or upsetting.

Donald Trump fails to understand that American soldiers and sailors, dating back to the Revolutionary War, served and sometimes died, not for an anthem or the flag but rather, to protect their families and to defend and preserve our freedoms and the liberties guaranteed under our Constitution including the right to free speech!  When symbols take precedence over substance, our inalienable rights are at great risk!

As an American and a 20-year navy veteran, I find it distasteful when individuals are disrespectful of the flag or any country’s national anthem.  However, to paraphrase Voltaire, “While I may disapprove of what you say, I will defend to the death your right to say it.”