What is the point of the 1st Amendment and the oh-so-American idea of freedom of speech, the amazing idea protected by the Amendment?
Is it to protect pro-regime speech only, thus encouraging people to toe the line of whatever narrative is, at the time, most supported by the political powers that be and outrage mob? Or, rather, is it to protect unpopular speech and shield people when they say what they know, or at least believe, to be true, even when doing so is unpopular?
Obviously it is the latter: the 1st Amendment wouldn’t be needed if it were only meant to protect what speech is popular. Such was allowed even in Stalin’s Russia and is allowed now in North Korea; the regime loves pro-regime speech.
Instead of protecting that, the 1st Amendment is there to enshrine the right to say what is unpopular, particularly if it’s the sort of speech that the regime dislikes.
Senator Ted Cruz sounded off on that idea when speaking on the topic of freedom of speech recently, saying:
“The First Amendment is an incredible blessing, which protects the rights of everyone to speak your mind. And the First Amendment isn’t just about popular speech. The First Amendment is about unpopular speech as well.
“That’s what it was created for. You don’t need the First Amendment if nobody is offended at what you’re saying, if nobody is unhappy with what you’re saying. The First Amendment protection doesn’t do anything then. It’s only when someone says, ‘I’m offended. I don’t like that, I want to silence you.‘”
Watch that here:
.@SenTedCruz: “The First Amendment isn’t just about popular speech. The First Amendment is about unpopular speech as well. That’s what it was created for. You don’t need the First Amendment if nobody is offended at what you’re saying.” pic.twitter.com/BPz5xMScno
— The Hill (@thehill) June 13, 2022
Surprisingly for Cruz, who normally talks a big game while doing little to really fight back against the crazy left, this speech was accompanied by actual action, with Cruz filing an amicus brief in support of free speech, describing the situation on his website by saying:
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is leading an amicus brief alongside Senator Mike Lee in support of free speech and religious liberty rights in the case of 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis – a follow-up to the highly publicized Masterpiece Cakeshop case. The lower court in Colorado decided that the government can force Ms. Smith, as a creative website designer and owner of a small business, to design and publish websites promoting messages that violate her beliefs. The amicus brief argues that the First Amendment protects against compelled speech, especially when it violates sincerely held religious beliefs. The brief calls for the Supreme Court to reaffirm that freedom of speech and freedom of religion are core civil liberties protected by the U.S. Constitution.
Cruz himself, speaking on the case and why it’s important, said:
“A victory in favor of 303 Creative would mean a victory for religious freedom everywhere. Compelled speech against anyone’s religious beliefs is an egregious infringement on the most fundamental liberties our Constitution protects. Every American should have the freedom to pursue their professions without being forced to sacrifice their religious beliefs.”
The libs, who are always looking to force compelled speech in favor of their totems and suppress the speech of those with whom they disagree with sure hate that!
By: Gen Z Conservative, editor of GenZConservative.com. Follow me on Facebook and Subscribe to My Email List
This story syndicated with permission from Will, Author at Trending Politics