US Patriots Stripped Of 1st Amendment As They Are Banned From Social Media

America is and has always been about its freedoms and its rights which as a culture and people we hold dear. The decision to leave the English Empire was an expression and desire to leave a monarchy and express that opinion with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. These patriots, our American forefathers, stated their desire to leave the English Empire and form a new government by the people and for the people. Their opinions, unlike those stated in open social media forums today were not banned, they were not shadow banned but clearly heard. Ideas whether we agree with them or not is part of the 1st Amendment in this country. To censor them or block them or in the case of social media outlets make the sender of the message think their opinion is being see seen when in fact it is not is called shadow banning and shadow banning is a form of censorship. That is a dangerous game to play when it attacks the fundamentals and fabric with which this country was founded upon. US Patriots Stripped Of 1st Amendment As They Are Banned From Social Media makes a case for the destructive forces that will tear this country apart.

The political climate of America is toxic. it is no longer about expressing an opinion and then allowing the other party to express their opinion and learn from one another. We don’t have to agree with each other but when we block or prevent the other party from even expressing their opinion is blatantly wrong and takes us closer to a form of government called oligarchy where the leadership hides in the shadows, not known, not seen, but always controlling and ensuring they maintain their control over the rest of us at all costs. It doesn’t matter how loud you scream in defiance to others when you are never heard in the first place.

Social Media Censorship

Agree or disagree with them, like them or not but censor them, no. It is getting dicey when the political leanings of social media websites intervene with the 1st Amendment. Alex Jones of Infowars was recently banned from Facebook, Spotify and Apple due to their opinion calling his commentary hate speech. Hate speech can be defined any number of ways but in the end we all share the same constitutional rights one of which is the first amendment.

If its coming from Washington D.C. then it should scare you. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon is working on a privacy bill and using decency as an argument for what should be used to determine what is kept on a website or can be removed. In an article written by the Washington Examiner,

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., says there should be “consequences” for social media platforms that don’t remove content from somebody who is a “bad actor” like conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

During an interview with Recode’s Kara Swisher, Wyden said he is working on a privacy bill that will protect people’s data. He stressed that he doesn’t favor government control of private companies, but the Democrat said there needs to be a hard look at the “Alex Jones case.”

“I think what the Alex Jones case shows, we’re gonna really be looking at what the consequences are for just leaving common decency in the dust,” Wyden said.

“What I’m gonna be trying to do in my legislation is to really lay out what the consequences are when somebody who is a bad actor, somebody who really doesn’t meet the decency principles that reflect our values, if that bad actor blows by the bounds of common decency, I think you gotta have a way to make sure that stuff is taken down,” he said.

Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to say Sen. Ron Wyden wants there to be “consequences” for “bad actors” on social media, but isn’t introducing legislation that would address the issue.

Shadow Banning

Dangerous. The type of thing that can help create mistrust, divisiveness and anarchy. There has been accusations of the alleged use of shadow banning by social media giants like Facebook, Twitter and others. In an article from The Hill, “Earlier this month, Jones’s content was pulled from Facebook, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Vimeo for violating policies related to hate speech. He was later hit with a temporary suspension by Twitter as well.” As stated earlier you don’t have to listen, you don;t have to agree and you can always merrily surf away on the internet but to block or prevent someone from expressing themselves based on a non-neural social media position is plain wrong.

Ben Wizner, the director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) speech, privacy and technology project, warned Monday that bans against Alex Jones and Infowars could set a dangerous precedent. He states further that “Governments at least purport to be acting solely in the public interest, but platforms are making these decisions based on what’s in their financial interest,” he continued. “So their interest might be in avoiding controversy, but do we want the most important speech platforms in the world to avoid controversy?”

We are treading in dangerous waters. Anyone possibly think that some of these social media outlets were financially supporting certain politicians and their political leanings to gain increasing strength or business advantages over their competition? They can;t stand to lose their politician and move ahead with their agendas if their politicians could lose. So let’s make sure no one hears the other side of the argument and prevent any political competition from occurring. Financial gain is correct and shadow manning by some of these companies would do the trick.

President Trump has also expressed his own concerns about platforms’ attempts to police content. On Monday, he told Reuters that it is “dangerous” for Facebook and Twitter to limit who can and cannot speak on their platforms.

Donald J Trump Commander In Chief Coin

Government could take action

In an article on USA Today, written by James S Robbins.

This doesn’t mean the government has no role to play. The White House could ban these firms from government contracts until they clean up their act. Congress could investigate the threat to privacy social media present through buying and selling personal information. The Justice Department could consider instigating antitrust actions. Compare what Google is doing today to what Microsoft was charged with in the 1990s and the case makes itself.

For conservatives, the answer is to tune out. There are social media alternatives, and there is nothing is stopping people from developing their own networks if they want. It is a fantastic business opportunity. Facebook, Twitter and other such platforms are 100 percent dependent on the users who voluntarily provide information to them. The algorithms that increasingly control your life are your fault. And if people stopped using these services, they would go away.

OK, now try to share this article on Facebook. It has probably already been banned.

James S. Robbins, a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors and author of “Erasing America: Losing Our Future by Destroying Our Past,” has taught at the National Defense University and the Marine Corps University and served as a special assistant in the office of the secretary of Defense in the George W. Bush administration.

Patriotism

The word patriot is as much a part of being American as anything we have experienced as children through adulthood. It means a variety if things depending on whom you speak with. It isn’t necessarily the same acts of courage, physical and mental sacrifice as defending one’s homes, farms and cities as British Redcoats fought with American colonists throughout the 13 colonies. We were not here when these valiant, soon to be unified states formed an American nation because of the patriotic blood and determination not to be ruled by a tyrannical king across the Atlantic ocean but to be self-ruled and to have sovereignty and its own form of government over its own people. The British learned of Americas desire to be home ruled not with a monarchy but by its own people who came from small villages, homes, townships and lived both in the cities like New York, Boston, Charleston and many others. We started a trend then and with every statement from “Don’t Tread on Me” to cries for an American country were called out at places like Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill, Saratoga, Trenton and many others battlefields were the Continental Army of America was victorious.

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We were because we had only our country at our back, newly created that could barely be heard in a whisper and so fragile that anything could just as easily tear it asunder. It was the minutemen, pioneers, the trappers, the farmers, the grocers and even the former soldiers of the British Empire that came to America seeking freedom that fought to ensure the safety of their newly birthed country, America.

The word patriot was a term given to those who would stand against the incredible size of the encroaching British Empire and with its experienced soldiers, its hired German mercenaries, its nearly limitless navy and its stout and experienced generals. The terms patriot was given to those who would sacrifice all against any enemies that threatened their country.

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The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. Thomas Jefferson wrote in a letter to William S. Smith, a diplomatic official in London, on November 13, 1787.

To have been willing to be a patriot one has to identify strongly with that which one wants to protect or defend. You have to feel as if you are part of it like it’s a part of your body, your heart and you would. You have to know that if you lose it you will not get another chance to have it back and to experience it whether it’s the way of life, the friends, brothers and sisters, your family, the ability to travel with freedom and experience your country without anyone telling you where you can go, what you can and cannot do and do it above all things, freely. You have to be part of it, born here, having gone through an education process and a path leading one to citizenship. How in the world would you be willing to sacrifice your life for something without really ever knowing what it was? All you had perhaps was the nightmare of leaving some hell whole country half way around the world, living in poverty, living in fear under a dictator or some 3rd world nation whose leadership changes at the drop of a magazine. How could you possibly know how wonderful it is to leave your home without the constant feeling of horror and violence? You have to appreciate what you have before you are willing to defend it.

At the heart of America is freedom. The freedom of self expression regardless of public opinion and those who would disagree. You may not like what is being said and you have the right to ignore it but not the right to prevent it. We all have this choice. Because of this 1st Amendment and what it stands for we also have ideals that are expressed in words showing our support for our country like the Pledge of Allegiance or heard in music like our National Anthem. These are just two examples of how we honor ourselves as Americans whether we agree with it or not.

Pledge Of Allegiance

I remember from early grade school till at least 8th grade, standing in class at the beginning of each school day, crossing my chest and reciting the Pledge Of Allegiance. I was a kid, I was proud and before I even understood what it was I was saying I always had some sense that it was important. It was not the norm because that would have involved staring in the direction of the girls, tossing the occasional wadded up paper ball and throwing it at some kid 3 desks away. This was not that and for me it was something important. I knew it was. It meant something to get everyone in the class to do exactly the same thing, at the same time and without incident. It was about reciting the pledge of allegiance.

What is the history of the pledge of allegiance?

USA American Citizen Pledge Of Allegiance Challenge Coin

The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an expression of allegiance to the Flag of the United States and the republic of the United States of America. It was originally composed by Captain George Thatcher Balch, a Union Army Officer during the Civil War and later a teacher of patriotism in New York City schools. The form of the pledge used today was largely devised by Francis Bellamy in 1892, and formally adopted by Congress as the pledge in 1942. The official name of The Pledge of Allegiance was adopted in 1945. The most recent alteration of its wording came on Flag Day in 1954, when the words “under God” were added. (Source – Wikipedia)

The Pledge Of Allegiance – I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all

Proud To Be An American

And I am not at all ashamed to say unlike what the mainstream media may want you to think in terms of how they wish we would all be ashamed to be American. Certainly the issues and calamities of our organized form of government in Washington, DC would give anyone pause and stand at the center of ridicule if not downright disgust in how so few individuals are paid off and look the other way when it comes to protecting their own. It is sad and as an American I too feel that they do not represent us nor do they care about us unless its in front of a camera and they can get a vote out of it. They are hired guns and they take care of themselves first, their friends second and the rest of us in a distant third if at all. But with all their jawboning and downright fleecing of America I can still get up each day and thank God I am American, have freedoms many others do not yet enjoy and have my fellow Americans with whom I can enjoy this with. Other countries may hate us but if they did then why do so many cross vast miles, spaces and come to America by almost any means possible to enjoy what we have as citizens of their fine country. If they hated it so much why are they such in a hurry to get here.

If the NFL players that take a knee can do so freely at at a professional football game and use their celebrity to raise awareness they can do so under the freedom of speech and expression and we can chose to change the channel, flip the switch or turn it all off in search of more agreeable behaviors. We all have this right. We don’t have to like it but we do have the freedom to turn it off. Maybe this is just one of the reasons people in other countries do wish to come to American shores. In any number of countries the NFL football player that took a knee because they feel that men and women of their same ethnicity are not treated fairly and do not receive the same treatment as others could have easily been taken round the barn and had two put in the chest and one in the head. Some political dictators or communistic states and foreign powers don’t like this form of expression and end lives when their government is criticized. In America the worst punishment that comes from raising a fist in defiance at a NFL football game might be a financial penalty but it will not result on the death of that NFL player. They get to finish their precious ballgame and keep the money train coming.

What is most important in my opinion is that while these pampered millionaires continue to take a knee during the National Anthem we can still honor our flag, our Veterans and each other who feel that honoring our country and celebrating our nation is more important. We know the difference.

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Donald J. Trump

National Anthem

Yeah it means something. Our country was not founded by some quiet and non violent men. It was created in the middle of a war with a foreign monarchy whose empire stretched across the globe in such a way that the sun always set on some part of it from hemisphere to hemisphere. The English Empire was as vast as any that had preceded it and part of its control meant that of the new and virgin 13 colonies of America. If you listen to the words of the National Anthem you are not going to hear about peaceful times and the lets all get along routine but one that is based on a war, battles, bombs, ramparts, rockets and a fight. The National Anthem was not conceived in a time of peace. It was created in a time of war. It was 1776 and American was fighting the English crown and the largest empire at the time.

USA American Citizen National Anthem Challenge Coin

United States of America

The Star Spangled Banner

Oh, say! can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming;
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:
Oh, say! does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In fully glory reflected now shines in the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh, long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so dauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution!
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blessed with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust”:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

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