Maybe I’m just too old and have no democratic rights any more to express an opinion. Far wiser folk than I have claimed that the very basic essential of any real democracy is free speech and that all honest citizens should believe that even if they abhor and reject the beliefs and opinions of other citizens, they will still continue to fight for the rights of those same citizens to freely express their opposing views and beliefs. Pretty basic and still a foundation of free speech in any genuine democracy, yes?
So where have we all gone so wrong in allowing the concept of free speech and democracy to be so easily demonized and rejected. I’m being told that one of the biggest threats to democracy is by some imagined patriarchal system only ruled by white men.
Really? Is it so simple that just one single specific member of our human species can be held totally accountable for all our past sins and there can never be any fault in any other? That’s pretty wild.
I’m a ‘white patriarch’, far from wealthy, but enjoying a very low key but successful life, with no conscious wish of ever wanting to hate anyone or harm them because they are different from me. I have three sons, of whom I am extremely proud, and only recall doing the best I could to teach them to be independent and responsible for their own actions in any society and community they chose to become a part of.
I have worked for Saudis and learned just what it is to be a second-class citizen with absolutely no rights. I have also worked in Oman, a totally different Muslim country where non-Muslim expats were made welcomed and respected as long as we also respected our hosts beliefs. I have worked with Muslims, Filipinos, Indians, Pakistanis, Communist Chinese and other nationalities, and have never had a single issue regarding my original sin of being a ‘white patriarch.’
Quite frankly, the opportunity to work closely with so many different nationalities, in different parts of the world on a daily basis, and with none of the current ‘political correctness’ focus, is the most rewarding part of my life.
So, just what is ‘hate speech’?
We already have laws on our books that specifically address direct physical threats to any member of our society, but now mainly ignored, to cater to ‘peaceful protests’ from any number of aggrieved and aggressive minorities. It seems that any number of minority protest groups can now protest in any way they wish, uttering threats of violence, and even death, to those they protest against, whilst some local police agencies will apparently support and protect their ‘right to protest’ regardless of any negative impact, including direct threats to local communities where these ‘peaceful protests’ take place.
It seems to me that a growing number of minority protest groups have formed a ‘victimhood’ consensus that demands any opposition to their own and very strictly defined complaints against different societies, if their protests are questioned, should be instantly met by charges of racism, bigotry, and even ‘hate crimes.’
And hate speech has to be a very real threat to the democracy that most of us grew up in, not because it was ever perfect, but far, far better than any other form of government that exists.
Difficult times, when so many of us no longer really know just who is governing us, or for what purpose, apart from to continue to raise our taxes whilst catering to the wishes of any victim group that chooses to protest in our neighborhoods and disrupt our communities.
