Antigay Sen. Marsha Blackburn has taken a break from squabbling with Taylor Swift to pen an insane new op-ed for Fox News.
The article, which was co-written with fellow antigay Sen. Tom Cotton, is about how “free speech”, which everyone knows is GOP code for hate speech, is “under fire on America’s college campuses.”
“Whereas schools once prided themselves on fostering free and open debate, today they create ‘safe spaces’ to shield students from difference, diversity of opinion, and dissent,” the two senators write.
It goes on to talk about how a recent survey found 60% of college students felt they couldn’t express their true opinions (again, hate speech) at school.
How about we take this to the next level?
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“Republican students were far more likely to self-censor than liberal students,” the op-ed states.
It also claims that “opposition” to bigotry “free speech” is “infecting the student body” and that vicious “revolutionaries” and mobs of “left-wing demonstrators” are engaging in everything from “intimidation to character assassination to outright violence” to silence their peers and shut down debate.
We could go on, but we think you get the point.
The op-ed concludes with Blackburn and Cotton announcing plans to create a new caucus in the Senate focused on protecting “free speech on college campuses” and promoting legislation that ensures “diverse viewpoints are respected and debated.”
Because nothing says “small government” like a group of Republican senators policing what private universities are allowed to talk about in classes that adult students have elected to take.
Now, let’s see what Twitter is saying about the whole thing…
free speech, journalists & people who oppose trump were repeatedly attacked under trumps presidency eroding the foundation of open debate. blackburn said nothing. nobody should believe blackburn has the slightest concern about it now.
— ann wilson (@playingindirt) October 21, 2021
Hate speech is under fire on America’s college campuses. #FixedItForYou
— Twitwit772 (@twitwit772) October 22, 2021
Don’t think it’s “free” speech they are fighting for so much as “free from truth” speech.
— sue vogt (@k9luna) October 20, 2021
Free speech is okay so long as it’s yours?
— Susan (@redwitch497) October 21, 2021
Hate speech is NOT free speech. Keep your Bronze Age Mythology out of our Secular Constitution.
— Craig Brown (@craigbr04409852) October 21, 2021
Marsha tried to have a guy fired because he said “unkind” things about her. I guess his free speech didn’t count?
— Cheryl💙 (@CherylCWS1) October 21, 2021
Free speech?! By limiting expression of those you disagree with?
— Mary P Gray (@MaryPGray) October 22, 2021
The thing Marsha doesn’t understand is that free speech works both ways. When she gets shouted down, that’s the system working. She’s and other knuckleheads are not entitled to be listened to.
— 🇺🇸 Rev. Dr. Matthew 🇺🇸 (@Mtawilk) October 21, 2021
Show me one person jailed for something said on a college campus.
If you can’t find one, there’s literally no free speech under attack.
— Ricky Wicketts Ⓜ (@RickyWicketts) October 21, 2021
By free speech do u mean hate, violence inspiring, white nationalist, xenophobic disinformation kinda free speech? Just need to clarify what u mean
— JSB (@JSB01219230) October 21, 2021
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
ThinkPIease
We are losing one of our greatest freedoms, so many other people around the world envy. Freedom of Speech will vanish if we continue down this dangerous path in the USA. These current college students have no idea how hard we (the LGBT family) had to fight to be heard. We were told not to speak unless we agreed with the majority. If you group everyone’s opinion that differs from our own as hate speech, then there is no freedom of speech.
cliche guevara
Who in the US has had their right to free she has taken away?
Kangol2
If you are on a college campus today and express strong public solidarity with Palestinians and criticize the government of Israel as an apartheid state, your speech very likely will be quashed and you very well could be punished in various ways. Most in the GOP agree with this quashing of free speech, yet you do not hear anyone on the right decrying it. Why? There are other topics that people will receive extreme public sanction for that are not the usual “cancel culture” hobbyhorses. A Princeton professor received death threats after publicly criticizing Don the Con in a commencement speech. Again, where were the outcries by those on the right? This issue is far more complex than it’s usually presented, and it isn’t just an issue with critics on the left. The other truth is that speech has never been “free” for quite a few Americans, particularly racial and ethnic minorities, people on the far radical left, etc.
barryaksarben
You can NOT be that stupid or you are a right wing troll. The thing this cow and the right are angry about is that their bigotted children go off to school and have to face the actually living people they insult and demand are discriminated against which makes them uncomfortable THAT is what higher education is supposed to do- open the mind and teach the truth not some made up religion based lies. I had very conservative profs back in the early 70s and there were a few liberal young profs and they became the most popular classes because they let you think however you wanted and didnt try to humiliate you if you disagreed with them like the conservative profs did. OF course that is just my experience but there were both views available . Of course back then neither said outloud the horrible things the fright says about the left
Den
Ah! But “thinkplease” CAN be that stupid. Just go back and read through some of their previous comments on other articles. Careful consideration of arguments, critical thought and understanding of other’s intent are not among their strong suits.
The Bill of Rights makes it quite clear what is meant by Free Speech, and it has not been abridged in any way. I would challenge “thinkplease” to actually think and come up with an example of someone who has recently had their speech rights challenged BY STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT in any way, or someone who has been denied the right of assembly on public property based on ideology rather than a real threat of violence. It is amusing (but not at all surprising) that an obviously right wing person is upset by businesses doing what they want without government interference, and as ignorant of the Constitution they claim to worship.
Cam
@ThinkPIease
New screename for the same old right wing troll.
When Republicans have to hide the actual topic behind the words “Free Speech” you know it’s all about hate.
But the thing is, these trolls also continually keep misstating the constitution. There is no right to attack others and not have people disagree with you. Free speech simply means you can disagree with the government and can’t be arrested for it.
Exposing your racism or bigotry and being laughed at or fired does not violate your free speech. You got to say what you wanted, you didn’t get arrested. And OTHERS have the free speech not to allow you to work with them.
Then again, I wouldn’t expect a Russian troll to understand the nuances of American rights.
mastik8
Thanks, but I’ll take my chances with the First Amendment. I’d rather lose the argument than not be able to have it at all.
Cam
The first Amendment means you can disagree with the government and not be arrested for it.
Fahd
Another wedge issue that is available for the soulless, shameless Republican. Divide and conquer. Divide and maybe the party that represents the minority can hold on a few more terms. The party of “no” can further undermine the nation.
Overall, this issue is widely exaggerated by Republicans to inflame the passions of their followers …ask any reputable academic. Indeed, with social networks widely available and used by right wingers and other young Americans for “freedom”, any chilling effect on free speech on campus probably has a greater effect against so-called “liberal” points of view and professors — they voluntarily keep quiet for fear of being crucified online. There’s plenty of crypto-Nazis on campus aching for a fight.
Based on what’s going on at public meetings since Trump and the pandemic where every aluminum foil clad, borderline personality “patriot” is allowed to spew hate for a few minutes, I would say some standards of public decorum are in order.
Typical Republicans screaming about their rights without giving a rat’s ass about the rights of others.
barryaksarben
EXACTLY, like trans high school athletes. There is a miniscule amount of them but the gop would have Americans believe there are hundreds in every town demanding to steal all sports from poor weak little girls. It is a bs non-issue but if they can lie about it enough they will convince enough deplorables
MacAdvisor
Hate speech is protected by the First Amendment.
scotshot
You can’t yell “Fire” in a crowded auditorium. Much that spews from Trumpf, et al is at that level.
MacAdvisor
scotshot: “You can’t yell “Fire” in a crowded auditorium.”
Of course you can. A judge has never suggested to the contrary. What you may not do is FALSELY yell, “Fire!” in a crowded theater. The quote about falsely yelling fire is from Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.’s, opinion in Schenck v. United States, 249 U.S. 47 (1919). That case was partially overturned Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444 (1969), which limited the scope of banned speech to that which would be directed to and likely to incite imminent lawless action (e.g. a riot). Hate speech is not likely to incite imminent lawless action and, therefore, is perfectly permissible. More to the point, Matal v. Tam, 582 U.S. ___ (2017) makes explicitly clear hate speech is protected by the First Amendment.
Cam
So is the right to fire somebody who doesn’t abide by your organization’s rules or values.
They can say whatever they want, if a college, or employer, or their friends don’t want to deal with them afterwards, that is them exercising their OWN freedom of speech and association.
dhmonarch89
AGAIN- either you believe in the First Amendment or you don’t… I hate Republicans and their supporters- BUT- they have the right to say things. If we shut down speech- it may be OUR speech restricted one day.
Kangol2
Left-wing speech has been shut down more than once. Let’s not forget the outright hunt, by the federal government, for people who belonged to the Communist Party or related Marxist and socialist parties, and the various blacklists, firings, etc. This isn’t new or news; there’s a long history in the US of suppressing dissident speech, particularly speech on the left. Meanwhile, we had a fascist psychopath stage a violent, failed far-right coup on January 6, 2021, with an inciting speech on that day and numerous moments leading up to it, and as far as I can tell, not a single authority in the US has brought this man to justice yet. Not one.
LumpyPillows
Just because liberal speech was attacked in the past does not mean it was right then or now: really poor argument. Hate speech, that you reference, is different from free speech, but we must be honest in determining the difference. That is a fatal flaw in any discussion of free/hate speech. Hate speech inherently is based on malice or disdain for another. Free speech may be an opinion you don’t like, but that becomes your issue to live with in a free society.
Den
Hate speech is protected under the constitution. Inciting violence is not. And the First Amendment is concerned only with speech persecuted/prosecuted by government, or disallowed on public land. Businesses can do as they please in terms of those they allow to speak or gather on their property so long as they do not otherwise violate local, state or federal laws (ie: anti-discrimination laws or permit requirements). Thus a Catholic school that does not allow lectures on atheism, or a historically black college or university that does not allow the KKK to meet or march on their property are not in violation of the first amendment.
Cam
So just so I understand, their version of “Free Speech” is that Republicans can attack others with racism and bigotry because of free speech, but others don’t have the right to respond with their own speech or actions because doing so would violate the Republican’s free speech?
Could somebody please start teaching critical thinking in schools again??
DCFarmboy
You can express any conservative policy position you want. But colleges (particularly private colleges) also can have standards of decency and civility. If you don’t know how to express your conservative views without being indecent, you can hire me (at my usual fee) to do a re-write.
LumpyPillows
Free speech is important. There may be ideas we disagree with or don’t like. That’s part of freedom. Hate speech is different in that it intends harm. Knowing the difference is kind of like knowing pornography when you see it. The problem I hate with the right is they often do intend harm. The problem I have with the left is they want to silence ideas they don’t agree with.
jcool
i was intrigued by the fact that the op-ed was written by miss marsha AND tim cotton. are neither capable of writing a whole article alone?
Heywood Jablowme
I like to imagine them taking turns and writing every other word. With the help of a bong!
Halfnhalf
It isn’t free speech issue. It’s a “get to say whatever I want without consequences.” The first amendment says the GOVERNMENT can’t inhibit free speech. other citizens and private institutions can. In the case of public Universities. It’s the University that can’t inhibit free speech, not the students who disagree. SO MANY PEOPLE DON’T UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES.
MacAdvisor
In California, even private spaces can be required to allow free speech. Once an area is open to the public and to the exchange of ideas, the speech cannot be restricted by viewpoint. See: Pruneyard Shopping Center v. Robins, 447 U.S. 74 (1980). While there is a distinction between First Amendment speech and free speech, free speech is an important value of our society and is also legally protected in many private spaces as a consequence.
tallskin4
Is it hate speech to say that you cannot change your sex?
MacAdvisor
Tallskin4: “Is it hate speech to say that you cannot change your sex?”
No, it is false, stupid, bigoted, dumb, and reveals you to be a person who lacks any sensible judgment. The great thing about free speech is you could remain quiet and people think you a fool, but, instead, you post stuff and remove all doubt.
Mack
Everyone is entitled to free speech. Once you start spewing lies non-stop then expect to be shouted down. That’s what the right wingers does is spew lies with every comment then once they’re shouted down then they complain they’re not given “free speech”. To them “free speech” is their right to tell lies without question.
tallskin4
Is it a lie to say a man putting on a dress doesn’t turn him into a woman?
Heywood Jablowme
@tallskin4: It sounds like you have made some personal experimentation in cross-dressing (and if so, kudos!) but yes, it would be a lie to equate being a transsexual with being a transvestite.
Cam
@tallskin4
Every single comment you make, no matter the topic of the thread seems to be an attack on transgender people.
It seems like you have your own, very large unresolved issues around this and are lashing out. Just like many of the most homophobic people are themselves, self hating closet cases, your obsession seems to indicate you are jealous of trans people out there expressing themselves because you feel the same thing they do and are terrified by that.
I hope this helped.
Invader7
Marcia is another Neo-NAZI FASCIST !!!