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Laura Ingraham, David Hogg and the beginning of the end of free speech.

Freedom of speech applies to the US government and its relations with its citizens, not to private entities. What on earth are you wittering about?

Dear cnm literally yes,
but if you take "people" to be "government' in spirit,
if you apply the Golden Rule that whatever laws and rights
we want to enforce for ourselves mean to defend that for others equally,
then it becomes ALL our responsibility to respect
freedom of speech and right to petition and
not to deprive people of liberty without due process,
if we want this principle enforced consistently in society.

Where we violate the rights of others, and act like that is lawful behavior instead of abusive,
we are indirectly disparaging the integrity of these laws and rights as inviolate.
 
Here's the little know-it-all:

Parkland Survivor David Hogg: 'Our Parents Don't Know How To Use a F**king Democracy So We Have To'

He kind of has a point.

Poll after poll show that majorities favor gun control.

images


But a small section of the population bullies congress into supporting an insane status quo.

And poll after poll show that majorities support the 2nd Amendment, but we know if we left it up to people like you, we would lose our right to private ownership of firearms.

I support the 2nd amendment. But, I don't know, can we dig a little deeper here? This is what gun control proponents support:

1521905527460.jpg


They are clearly in the majority.
I support all five choices if they control criminal action.. Sadly, none of them will prevent or reduce gun violence. Every one of the choices are intended to hamper and restrict law abiding citizens and not criminals.

With the exception of the last one about banning assault weapons not one of them can be remotely seen as restricting legal gun ownership from law abiding citizens.

The shooter in Parkland was under 21 and used an assault styled weapon.

Almost every mass shooter uses an assault styled weapon

There are loopholes around the background check system, those should be closed as killers have bought guns this way in the past. Media Reports Ohio Killer 'Likely' Got Guns Through Private Sales

How are armed guards at school limiting your 2nd amendment rights?

At least you were smart enough to avoid the point of my post, that being the kids at Parkland have the favor of the vast majority of Americans and it is people like you who are out of step (as usual) with the mainstream.

Assault styled weapon? WTF is that?
 
Here's the little know-it-all:

Parkland Survivor David Hogg: 'Our Parents Don't Know How To Use a F**king Democracy So We Have To'

He kind of has a point.

Poll after poll show that majorities favor gun control.

images


But a small section of the population bullies congress into supporting an insane status quo.

And poll after poll show that majorities support the 2nd Amendment, but we know if we left it up to people like you, we would lose our right to private ownership of firearms.

I support the 2nd amendment. But, I don't know, can we dig a little deeper here? This is what gun control proponents support:

1521905527460.jpg


They are clearly in the majority.


The banning of "assault weapons" is the one that raises a red flag.

My semi-auto sport rifles that millions of people own work just like the boogeyman "assault weapons".

I'm not necessarily for banning assault style weapons either, right now I'm on the fence. I think the argument to ban them is valid though and should be looked at. One of the things Emma Gonzalez wants to do is look at the definition of what exactly an assault weapon is, I think that's a good start. It might merely come down to accessories such as extended clips and bump stocks that currently some AR15s are equipped with and many that are not.

Now, back to your previous post, you now see why polling the 2nd amendment's popularity is pretty much pointless considering there are many opinions on what exactly the 2nd amendment is. It's much better to poll on specific gun control measures and judging by your reply you seem to only take issue with one of them.

Your post is just further proof that you and all other gun grabbers are dumbasses!

Calling a magazine a "clip" is ignorant and not knowing bump stocks are about as common as hen's teeth is just plain stupid.
 
This is a good article, and it shows the visciousness of David Hogg.


David Hogg's attempt to end Laura Ingraham's career sets dangerous precedent


For Laura Ingraham, there was no choice but to apologize to Parkland school shooting activist David Hogg for her foolish tweet regarding the 17-year-old being rejected by several colleges.

"On reflection, in the spirit of Holy Week, I apologize for any upset or hurt my tweet caused him or any of the brave victims of Parkland," Ingraham wrote on Twitter. "For the record, I believe my show was the first to feature David immediately after that horrific shooting and even noted how 'poised' he was given the tragedy. As always he's welcome to return to the show anytime for a productive discussion."

David Hogg's attempt to end Laura Ingraham's career sets dangerous precedent
It is called accountability for your own actions

Laura Ingraham learned a valuable lesson

Yes hopefully she has learned that the MSM is going to cover this saint with kid gloves who is above ridicule, and that any legitimate criticism of him is off limits.
Was mocking his rejection from colleges legitimate criticism

No, it wasn't legitimate. Anyone with a 4.1 GPA should be proud of what they have achieved. Shoot, I graduated with a B minus average.

I'll bet you thank God every night for grade inflation!
 
Her biggest mistake? Apologizing to the little mother fucker that was NOT A SURVIVOR but an opportunist. That Hogg bitch deserves to be taken down hard.
Do you deny this?

Student reporter interviews classmates hiding from gunman in Florida high school

So, he was videoing an interview with lights and making noise while a gunman was loose in his school. Would that not attract attention?

He's a bigger dumbass than I thought!
Let's see your evidence he was conducting interviews "with lights and making noise" while "the gunman was loose in his school." .....
 
Freedom of speech applies to the US government and its relations with its citizens, not to private entities. What on earth are you wittering about?


Yes! That's it, DOPE! The point of the 1st Amendment was to insure that the GOVERNMENT can say anything it damn well pleases and not the private sector!
 
Is Laura Ingraham still enjoying her Easter break?

David Hogg is enjoying it tremendously
 
Laura Ingraham, the Fox News host of the Ingraham Angle was riding high as she presided over the fourth most watched cable news show in America. She used her freedom of speech to scrawl an emotional screed critical of David Hogg, a high school student who has become the face of the anti-gun movement. Ingraham, well educated, articulate woman, went from the penthouse to the outhouse overnight because she turned to the bathroom stall wall we call Facebook and attacked Hogg with a cheap, signed smear.

Hogg promptly identified her show’s sponsors and called for boycotts which quickly materialized leading Ingraham to take a “planned vacation” which is code for she’s likely gone. Ingraham should have known better.

Whenever or wherever opinions are expressed there is bound to be disagreement because people have different life experiences. This causes most people to reserve personal opinions especially in public settings. In the United States we have the first amendment which essentially means that we can say or write anything so long as what we say or write does not slander or bring harm to others or infringe on the rights of others to express different or unpopular opinions.

The First Amendment is a golden rule of American democracy that sets it apart from most other great civilizations not just in space but in time. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 the event was hailed as a decisive victory for democracies embracing freedom of speech and the table appeared to be set for a golden age of world democracy.

But freedom of speech has a built in flaw: it raises the specter that the people could use it to call for getting rid of it. Just the fact that people are endowed with freedom of speech does not guarantee that they understand its significance or will use it responsibly. When it becomes a means to an end people will find creative ways to abuse it.

Both Laura Ingraham and David Hogg are guilty of abusing freedom of speech. Ingraham went after Hogg with the power of Fox News via Facebook and Hogg went after Ingraham’s livelihood probably on the advice of his political handlers.

Does this balance out? Not really. It’s wrong to crush opposing points of view with power and it’s just as wrong to go after a person’s income because you don’t agree with them.

If we lose freedom of speech here we’ll deserve it.


The end of free speech began with social media and companies who police what employees say in their own free time in voicing their personal opinions that have nothing to do with their job, and deciding they could act upon that to silence views they disagree with or feel reflect poorly on the company.

Disagree with David Hogg, a child out of nowhere challenging the very mores of our nation and you will be at best labeled a child hater, or a child murderer, at worst, have your business assaulted with the intention of taking you off the air.

Just as with the guy that was shot in his backyard by cops holding a cellphone who apparently triggered police to shoot by not obeying police orders and making suspicious moves, some lady made the obvious and HONEST observation that maybe the guy contributed to the unfortunate event if not outright precipitated it by his refusal to cooperate by saying on Facebook that he "deserved" to die. Now, I don't think her choice of wording was intended to say she WANTED him to die or anything racial, just that the police do not bear all the blame in his actions to conflict the police in their orders to him, but either way, that was her OPINION. So where was her right to free speech?

OUT THE FRICKING DOOR. A social activist got hold of her comment and account, took it to her employer, and WHAM! Out of a job. No income. Unemployed. Has that on her record now in her future search for a job.

Nurse Who Said Stephon Clark "Deserved" To be Shot by Police is Fired From Job

The argument? Saying that people who act stupidly should not be surprised by the results of their actions by using the word "deserved," is now parlayed by the Left to mean "Hate Speech" and "Discrimination." It no longer matters what you meant by saying something, but how others THINK or CLAIM you intended it, that matters! And the burden is not on them to prove hate or discrimination, your words are GUILTY by default and acted upon thusly. There goes your right to voice your free speech------ just say something that can be disagreed with, unpopular, or can be connoted to imply a racial overtone and employers, like advertisers, RUN FOR THE FUCKING HILLS afraid of lawsuits, bad press and lawyers, and will throw you right under the bus.

The Left, in commandeering the Media as their right arm now decides how far, or how little, you right to voice your opinions go. And if they clash with the Left, not very far.
 
Last edited:
Laura Ingraham, the Fox News host of the Ingraham Angle was riding high as she presided over the fourth most watched cable news show in America. She used her freedom of speech to scrawl an emotional screed critical of David Hogg, a high school student who has become the face of the anti-gun movement. Ingraham, well educated, articulate woman, went from the penthouse to the outhouse overnight because she turned to the bathroom stall wall we call Facebook and attacked Hogg with a cheap, signed smear.

Hogg promptly identified her show’s sponsors and called for boycotts which quickly materialized leading Ingraham to take a “planned vacation” which is code for she’s likely gone. Ingraham should have known better.

Whenever or wherever opinions are expressed there is bound to be disagreement because people have different life experiences. This causes most people to reserve personal opinions especially in public settings. In the United States we have the first amendment which essentially means that we can say or write anything so long as what we say or write does not slander or bring harm to others or infringe on the rights of others to express different or unpopular opinions.

The First Amendment is a golden rule of American democracy that sets it apart from most other great civilizations not just in space but in time. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 the event was hailed as a decisive victory for democracies embracing freedom of speech and the table appeared to be set for a golden age of world democracy.

But freedom of speech has a built in flaw: it raises the specter that the people could use it to call for getting rid of it. Just the fact that people are endowed with freedom of speech does not guarantee that they understand its significance or will use it responsibly. When it becomes a means to an end people will find creative ways to abuse it.

Both Laura Ingraham and David Hogg are guilty of abusing freedom of speech. Ingraham went after Hogg with the power of Fox News via Facebook and Hogg went after Ingraham’s livelihood probably on the advice of his political handlers.

Does this balance out? Not really. It’s wrong to crush opposing points of view with power and it’s just as wrong to go after a person’s income because you don’t agree with them.

If we lose freedom of speech here we’ll deserve it.


The end of free speech began with social media and companies who police what employees say in their own free time in voicing their personal opinions that have nothing to do with their job, and deciding they could act upon that to silence views they disagree with or feel reflect poorly on the company.

Disagree with David Hogg, a child out of nowhere challenging the very mores of our nation and you will be at best labeled a child hater, or a child murderer, at worst, have your business assaulted with the intention of taking you off the air.

Just as with the guy that was shot in his backyard by cops holding a cellphone who apparently triggered police to shoot by not obeying police orders and making suspicious moves, some lady made the obvious and HONEST observation that maybe the guy contributed to the unfortunate event if not outright precipitated it by his refusal to cooperate by saying on Facebook that he "deserved" to die. Now, I don't think her choice of wording was intended to say she WANTED him to die or anything racial, just that the police do not bear all the blame in his actions to conflict the police in their orders to him, but either way, that was her OPINION. So where was her right to free speech?

OUT THE FRICKING DOOR. A social activist got hold of her comment and account, took it to her employer, and WHAM! Out of a job. No income. Unemployed. Has that on her record now in her future search for a job.

Nurse Who Said Stephon Clark "Deserved" To be Shot by Police is Fired From Job

The argument? Saying that people who act stupidly should not be surprised by the results of their actions by using the word "deserved," is now parlayed by the Left to mean "Hate Speech" and "Discrimination." It no longer matters what you meant by saying something, but how others THINK or CLAIM you intended it, that matters! And the burden is not on them to prove hate or discrimination, your words are GUILTY by default and acted upon thusly. There goes your right to voice your free speech------ just say something that can be disagreed with, unpopular, or can be connoted to imply a racial overtone and employers, like advertisers, RUN FOR THE FUCKING HILLS afraid of lawsuits, bad press and lawyers, and will throw you right under the bus.

The Left, in commandeering the Media as their right arm now decides how far, or how little, you right to voice your opinions go. And if they clash with the Left, not very far.
Poor Snowflake

Can I find you a safe space?
 
Laura Ingraham, the Fox News host of the Ingraham Angle was riding high as she presided over the fourth most watched cable news show in America. She used her freedom of speech to scrawl an emotional screed critical of David Hogg, a high school student who has become the face of the anti-gun movement. Ingraham, well educated, articulate woman, went from the penthouse to the outhouse overnight because she turned to the bathroom stall wall we call Facebook and attacked Hogg with a cheap, signed smear.

Hogg promptly identified her show’s sponsors and called for boycotts which quickly materialized leading Ingraham to take a “planned vacation” which is code for she’s likely gone. Ingraham should have known better.

Whenever or wherever opinions are expressed there is bound to be disagreement because people have different life experiences. This causes most people to reserve personal opinions especially in public settings. In the United States we have the first amendment which essentially means that we can say or write anything so long as what we say or write does not slander or bring harm to others or infringe on the rights of others to express different or unpopular opinions.

The First Amendment is a golden rule of American democracy that sets it apart from most other great civilizations not just in space but in time. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 the event was hailed as a decisive victory for democracies embracing freedom of speech and the table appeared to be set for a golden age of world democracy.

But freedom of speech has a built in flaw: it raises the specter that the people could use it to call for getting rid of it. Just the fact that people are endowed with freedom of speech does not guarantee that they understand its significance or will use it responsibly. When it becomes a means to an end people will find creative ways to abuse it.

Both Laura Ingraham and David Hogg are guilty of abusing freedom of speech. Ingraham went after Hogg with the power of Fox News via Facebook and Hogg went after Ingraham’s livelihood probably on the advice of his political handlers.

Does this balance out? Not really. It’s wrong to crush opposing points of view with power and it’s just as wrong to go after a person’s income because you don’t agree with them.

If we lose freedom of speech here we’ll deserve it.


The end of free speech began with social media and companies who police what employees say in their own free time in voicing their personal opinions that have nothing to do with their job, and deciding they could act upon that to silence views they disagree with or feel reflect poorly on the company.

Disagree with David Hogg, a child out of nowhere challenging the very mores of our nation and you will be at best labeled a child hater, or a child murderer, at worst, have your business assaulted with the intention of taking you off the air.

Just as with the guy that was shot in his backyard by cops holding a cellphone who apparently triggered police to shoot by not obeying police orders and making suspicious moves, some lady made the obvious and HONEST observation that maybe the guy contributed to the unfortunate event if not outright precipitated it by his refusal to cooperate by saying on Facebook that he "deserved" to die. Now, I don't think her choice of wording was intended to say she WANTED him to die or anything racial, just that the police do not bear all the blame in his actions to conflict the police in their orders to him, but either way, that was her OPINION. So where was her right to free speech?

OUT THE FRICKING DOOR. A social activist got hold of her comment and account, took it to her employer, and WHAM! Out of a job. No income. Unemployed. Has that on her record now in her future search for a job.

Nurse Who Said Stephon Clark "Deserved" To be Shot by Police is Fired From Job

The argument? Saying that people who act stupidly should not be surprised by the results of their actions by using the word "deserved," is now parlayed by the Left to mean "Hate Speech" and "Discrimination." It no longer matters what you meant by saying something, but how others THINK or CLAIM you intended it, that matters! And the burden is not on them to prove hate or discrimination, your words are GUILTY by default and acted upon thusly. There goes your right to voice your free speech------ just say something that can be disagreed with, unpopular, or can be connoted to imply a racial overtone and employers, like advertisers, RUN FOR THE FUCKING HILLS afraid of lawsuits, bad press and lawyers, and will throw you right under the bus.

The Left, in commandeering the Media as their right arm now decides how far, or how little, you right to voice your opinions go. And if they clash with the Left, not very far.
There is no right to ''free speech'' other than our GOVERNMENT can not stop us.

WHY are you WHINING on and on about ''free speech'', when it has nothing to do with your examples...?

You want to be an asshole on social media posting hateful crap, have at it! The govt ain't gonna stop you....

your employer might fire you for being a careless ass with your speech, the public may ostracize you....etc, but NOT the govt....

you take your own risk when being an asshole while you speak....and usually has consequences, as IT SHOULD!

:eek:
 
Why are the gun grabber threads the most fun for conservative board members?

Because they've seen these laughable episodes occur time and time again...just in the past year....watching progressives get duped by fakery media.

And they'll all end up with another bumpy cucumber once David Hogg fades into the fog and the Second Amendment continues to stand proud and strong. Hogg will serve his useful purpose until the yawning gets epic and they'll need to find another Stormy Daniels to get a listening audience. Duh.....same as the anthem kneelers who nobody cares about now.....the cop haters who have now fallen off the face of the earth.

Getting all giddy about symbols, slogans, banners and marches = ghey. In the end, never adds up to dick!:hello77:

That’s what the left said about the Tea Party.
 
Laura Ingraham, the Fox News host of the Ingraham Angle was riding high as she presided over the fourth most watched cable news show in America. She used her freedom of speech to scrawl an emotional screed critical of David Hogg, a high school student who has become the face of the anti-gun movement. Ingraham, well educated, articulate woman, went from the penthouse to the outhouse overnight because she turned to the bathroom stall wall we call Facebook and attacked Hogg with a cheap, signed smear.

Hogg promptly identified her show’s sponsors and called for boycotts which quickly materialized leading Ingraham to take a “planned vacation” which is code for she’s likely gone. Ingraham should have known better.

Whenever or wherever opinions are expressed there is bound to be disagreement because people have different life experiences. This causes most people to reserve personal opinions especially in public settings. In the United States we have the first amendment which essentially means that we can say or write anything so long as what we say or write does not slander or bring harm to others or infringe on the rights of others to express different or unpopular opinions.

The First Amendment is a golden rule of American democracy that sets it apart from most other great civilizations not just in space but in time. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 the event was hailed as a decisive victory for democracies embracing freedom of speech and the table appeared to be set for a golden age of world democracy.

But freedom of speech has a built in flaw: it raises the specter that the people could use it to call for getting rid of it. Just the fact that people are endowed with freedom of speech does not guarantee that they understand its significance or will use it responsibly. When it becomes a means to an end people will find creative ways to abuse it.

Both Laura Ingraham and David Hogg are guilty of abusing freedom of speech. Ingraham went after Hogg with the power of Fox News via Facebook and Hogg went after Ingraham’s livelihood probably on the advice of his political handlers.

Does this balance out? Not really. It’s wrong to crush opposing points of view with power and it’s just as wrong to go after a person’s income because you don’t agree with them.

If we lose freedom of speech here we’ll deserve it.
Damn

Did Hogg slap down that hateful bitch or what?

She announced last night she is taking a “vacation”
Hogg doesn’t even have his own cable news program
Did Hogg slap down that hateful bitch or what?

Let's have a quote from Ingraham that proves she is hateful. You can't prove it do not say it.
 
You wingnuts are so damn stupid.

David Hogg was simply putting his opinion out there in the free exchange of ideas and as of now 11 of Ingraham's sponsors agree with him over Ingraham. Those sponsors are now using their right of free speech by withdrawing advertisements from a Trump surrogate.

All legal, its all happened before and both sides have utilized boycotts. Apparently the alt-right doesn't like it when the left does it and all they can do is pout.

The MSM hooked their wagon to a falling star. The kid is 100% dead wrong.

Most Americans agree with him, we need stronger gun control laws. But thanks for your worthless opinion that doesn't address my post.

Like what? You can't even say!

1489606249077.jpg

What does that have to do with gun control laws?

You can read what I asked, right?
 
Oh that gun free zone worked did it? That law about not murdering others worked did it?

You fool.

You're literally challenging laws against murder? There is no evidence that gun free zones caused this mass shooting. But none of that addresses my post anyway.

If there is one take away from this tragedy is DONT COUNT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT to protect you. Don't count on you government to prevent a mass killing.

Right, depend on citizens who have no training.

Be armed. Be ready.


Why do I get the feeling you're not allowed to carry.

Depend on a law enforcement officer who refuses to engage the shooter? What part of this did you miss asshole? The police did not engage.

Yep, they didn't engage as soon as they should have. Why that means fellow students and/or teachers should be armed every other day of school is beyond me, there's a good chance they would have just shot each other.

You didn't answer my question. Are you a gun owner who can legally carry concealed or otherwise?

Yeah, like that happens every day when concealed carriers shoot it out all the time.

Dumbass!

They are usually inconsequential, however making teachers whose main responsibility is to teach
The MSM hooked their wagon to a falling star. The kid is 100% dead wrong.

Most Americans agree with him, we need stronger gun control laws. But thanks for your worthless opinion that doesn't address my post.

Like what? You can't even say!

1489606249077.jpg

What does that have to do with gun control laws?

You can read what I asked, right?

My bad, wrong poll.

1521905527460.jpg

Why don't you put their immigration poll?
 
Oh that gun free zone worked did it? That law about not murdering others worked did it?

You fool.

You're literally challenging laws against murder? There is no evidence that gun free zones caused this mass shooting. But none of that addresses my post anyway.

If there is one take away from this tragedy is DONT COUNT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT to protect you. Don't count on you government to prevent a mass killing.

Right, depend on citizens who have no training.

Be armed. Be ready.


Why do I get the feeling you're not allowed to carry.

Depend on a law enforcement officer who refuses to engage the shooter? What part of this did you miss asshole? The police did not engage.

Yep, they didn't engage as soon as they should have. Why that means fellow students and/or teachers should be armed every other day of school is beyond me, there's a good chance they would have just shot each other.

You didn't answer my question. Are you a gun owner who can legally carry concealed or otherwise?

Yeah, like that happens every day when concealed carriers shoot it out all the time.

Dumbass!

They are usually inconsequential, however making teachers whose main responsibility is to teach
The MSM hooked their wagon to a falling star. The kid is 100% dead wrong.

Most Americans agree with him, we need stronger gun control laws. But thanks for your worthless opinion that doesn't address my post.

Like what? You can't even say!

1489606249077.jpg

What does that have to do with gun control laws?

You can read what I asked, right?

My bad, wrong poll.

1521905527460.jpg

OK. Do we have to go through this bullshit again?

Universal background checks will not work without gun registration. That is not going to happen.

Require mental health checks? Sure, we can repeal HIPAA! Fat chance of that happening! You want the government to decide if all of you crazy liberals should have guns? You don't want them anyway!

Raise the legal age to buy guns? All because we has ONE shooter who was under 21? Right!

Armed guards in schools? Who has a problem with that, other than expense? Let me carry in my school and I'll save you some money.

Ban assault weapons? You gun grabbing morons still don't get it that assault weapons are ALREADY effectively banned!
 
Oh that gun free zone worked did it? That law about not murdering others worked did it?

You fool.

You're literally challenging laws against murder? There is no evidence that gun free zones caused this mass shooting. But none of that addresses my post anyway.

If there is one take away from this tragedy is DONT COUNT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT to protect you. Don't count on you government to prevent a mass killing.

Right, depend on citizens who have no training.

Be armed. Be ready.


Why do I get the feeling you're not allowed to carry.

Depend on a law enforcement officer who refuses to engage the shooter? What part of this did you miss asshole? The police did not engage.

Yep, they didn't engage as soon as they should have. Why that means fellow students and/or teachers should be armed every other day of school is beyond me, there's a good chance they would have just shot each other.

You didn't answer my question. Are you a gun owner who can legally carry concealed or otherwise?

Yeah, like that happens every day when concealed carriers shoot it out all the time.

Dumbass!

They are usually inconsequential, however making teachers whose main responsibility is to teach
The MSM hooked their wagon to a falling star. The kid is 100% dead wrong.

Most Americans agree with him, we need stronger gun control laws. But thanks for your worthless opinion that doesn't address my post.

Like what? You can't even say!

1489606249077.jpg

What does that have to do with gun control laws?

You can read what I asked, right?

My bad, wrong poll.

1521905527460.jpg

This post is a train wreck. I suggest editing.
 
To those with the memory of a goldfish.

1521905527460.jpg
 
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Laura Ingraham, the Fox News host of the Ingraham Angle was riding high as she presided over the fourth most watched cable news show in America. She used her freedom of speech to scrawl an emotional screed critical of David Hogg, a high school student who has become the face of the anti-gun movement. Ingraham, well educated, articulate woman, went from the penthouse to the outhouse overnight because she turned to the bathroom stall wall we call Facebook and attacked Hogg with a cheap, signed smear.

Hogg promptly identified her show’s sponsors and called for boycotts which quickly materialized leading Ingraham to take a “planned vacation” which is code for she’s likely gone. Ingraham should have known better.

Whenever or wherever opinions are expressed there is bound to be disagreement because people have different life experiences. This causes most people to reserve personal opinions especially in public settings. In the United States we have the first amendment which essentially means that we can say or write anything so long as what we say or write does not slander or bring harm to others or infringe on the rights of others to express different or unpopular opinions.

The First Amendment is a golden rule of American democracy that sets it apart from most other great civilizations not just in space but in time. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 the event was hailed as a decisive victory for democracies embracing freedom of speech and the table appeared to be set for a golden age of world democracy.

But freedom of speech has a built in flaw: it raises the specter that the people could use it to call for getting rid of it. Just the fact that people are endowed with freedom of speech does not guarantee that they understand its significance or will use it responsibly. When it becomes a means to an end people will find creative ways to abuse it.

Both Laura Ingraham and David Hogg are guilty of abusing freedom of speech. Ingraham went after Hogg with the power of Fox News via Facebook and Hogg went after Ingraham’s livelihood probably on the advice of his political handlers.

Does this balance out? Not really. It’s wrong to crush opposing points of view with power and it’s just as wrong to go after a person’s income because you don’t agree with them.

If we lose freedom of speech here we’ll deserve it.

Natalie manes
 

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