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This is why my outlook on the future is growing dim. Politicians are threatening revenge, using the power and purse of the state, against people who embarrass t
by jrs235 5y ago
This is why my outlook on the future is growing dim. Politicians are threatening revenge, using the power and purse of the state, against people who embarrass them.
- vipa123 5y agoThis is as old as the country itself, the constitution is stronger than these thugs.
- joe_the_user 5y agoThe US state has successfully suppressed free expression in a number of instances (Henry Miller and Wilhelm Reich come to mind). The US isn't special as a democracy and it's been pretty shoddy at quite a number of times, though now isn't necessarily the worst moment. The constitution is only strong on free speech and freedom of the press if people defend it. Edit: It's especially notable that the degree that governments in the US are run as personal fief where officials lash out at anyone who inconveniences them (as is happening here), is strongly related to how far the government is from urban centers.
- et1337 5y agoI live in LA and its full of personal fiefdoms. I think you just see more talent at obfuscating it.
- elliekelly 5y agoYour edit reminds me of an absolutely insane article I read a few days ago about an elected Juvenile Court Judge in Tennessee: https://www.propublica.org/article/black-children-were-jailed-for-a-crime-that-doesnt-exist https://www.propublica.org/article/black-children-were-jaile...
- speedybird 5y ago> though now isn't necessarily the worst moment. Chattel slavery, the Civil War, the Trail of Tears, the internment of Japanese Americans... need I go on? Anybody who thinks America might be in a worse state now than ever before needs a serious reality check.
- dragonwriter 5y ago> the constitution is stronger than these thugs. The Constitution is exactly as strong as the people who don’t dismissively pretend it is self-enforcing.
- dragontamer 5y agoAlien and Sedition acts argue otherwise. I do believe the 2nd President successfully jailed journalists for this for years, leading to the Supreme Court deciding to you know, do something about it. Things are only as strong as the political will believes they are strong. There was a period in the 1800s where the Supreme Court was ignored for example. The Supreme Court of the late 1700s did want to protect the 1st Amendment and they did win the political battle vs Adams. But under different circumstances, a different result could have very much happened.
- dd36 5y agoMedia used to have more dry powder for fights before Facebook and Google intermediated everything.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- cortesoft 5y agoPoliticians are always threatening revenge for stuff like this, for as long as there has been politics. It is only concerning if the threat is successful.
- RIMR 5y agoThe only thing that would lead it to being successful is if people are convinced that the attempt itself isn't alarming, and don't act aggressively to do something about it.
- speedybird 5y agoPeacefully donating to the ACLU should be sufficient, I don't agree that violence is presently warranted. If the courts fail, then we can talk.
- sysihyk 5y agoFunding open Bolsheviks for peace, huh?
- justshowpost 5y agoFunding openly Bolshevist legal trolls "for world peace" seems good idea.