The famous line from Justice Holmes in Schenck v. United States is, “The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic.” May 11, 2015.
For two years our media, celebrities, Democrat politicians, and commentators have been shouting “Fire” in the crowded theater of the American Republic.
They’ve been shouting our president is “An Agent of Russia!” He “Stole the Election by Colluding with Russia!” He committed “Treason!” He’s “Doing the Bidding of Putin!” Mueller will “Indict the Entire Trump Crime Family!” He is “Obstructing Justice!” “We’ll Have a Constitutional Crisis Because He Will Fire Mueller!” “He Will Fire Rosenstein!” The list of idiotic “sky is falling” and “theater on fire” raging could go on for paragraphs.
But now the Mueller Report is complete. With no indictments of Trump or his family.
Wow.
From 2017 to 2019 these charlatans have been claiming the Mueller Investigation was getting close, and “The WALLS ARE CLOSING IN!”
Unfortunately, what the press and celebrities have done is wreak untold damage to the Republic. Discord, polarization, accusations. Individuals who have been destroyed financially, politically, and emotionally through ongoing investigations. I would call these substantive evils.
This is not the “free press” the founders were talking about. These frauds should not have the 1st Amendment protections they enjoy.
The 1st Amendment protections of the free press were not instituted to protect mob rule. Yet that is exactly what has happened: The press has become a mob of bullies.
They have become propaganda machines, smearing innocents. The Covington boys. Supreme Court nominees.
Look at the lies pushed about Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh.
What multitude of unchecked lies were repeated and parroted?
How many times were these retold and amplified by celebrities and talk-show hosts? And well-deserved I might add, are the subsequent lawsuits coming forth. Finally!
But the cream of the crop of mob rule is definitely the Russia Collusion hoax. An enumeration of just the ten worst media lies doesn’t come near to being an exhaustive list. Every day, 24-7, mainstream outlets have produced hundreds and hundreds of “Russia” stories and have slanted over 90% against the President.
This isn’t journalism. This is blatant hatred. It is a disservice to the role of journalism in our country.
It is evil.
Justice Holmes further states: ” The question in every case is whether the words are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent.”
Although in 1969 the Supreme Court began applying the “direct incitement standard” instead, the hoaxes of our mainstream media, celebrities, and commentators are, in my opinion, creating a “clear and present danger” to the Republic.
Their fake stories are indeed creating “substantive evils.”
They do not deserve 1st Amendment protections. They should be sued and prosecuted.
“The press is impotent when it abandons itself to falsehood.” –Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Seymour, 1807.