Freedom And Suppression Of Freedom

Trump’s Press Secretary Sean Spicer hit the ground running, quickly emulating the Orwellian Ministry of Truth in “1984”. 

Not that it’s an issue of importance, just Trump’s ego, that his hands are much smaller... I mean his inauguration crowd was much smaller than Obama’s. 

The Ministry of Truth had to provide “alternative facts”, in Kellyanne Conway’s words, about the inauguration crowd.

They’re jealous and upset that the number of protesters AFTER the inauguration was far larger than the pro-Trump crowd.

The national and global protests were massive. They represent "the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

As with minority rights to vote, this freedom is a threat to Trump and his Republican rulers.

Suppressing the truth along with the constitutional right to vote are not the Republicans’ only tactics against the remnants of a free republic.

As I previously noted, dissent will be suppressed and viciously attacked. 

Republicans are leading the assault for their Dear Leader already. Their assault on constitutional free speech is under way.

Our First Amendment rights are in their crosshairs.

Republican Lawmakers in Five States Propose Bills to Criminalize Peaceful Protest.

They even go so far as to virtually give free license to kill protesters by running them over.

And we thought Bush’s fenced off “Free Speech Zones” were bad.

Of course no fascist regime, and Republican Party tyranny, is complete without suppressing and demonizing a free press.

Channeling his inner Goebbels, Spicer said, “There's been a lot of talk in the media about the responsibility to hold Donald Trump accountable.  And I'm here to tell you that it goes two ways.  We're going to hold the press accountable, as well.”

Nein, Herr Reichsminister!

It does NOT go “two ways” in a free country.  It does NOT go “two ways” under our Constitution's First Amendment in the Bill of Rights. A free press is NOT accountable to government.

Journalism is always the enemy of tyranny, and the Republican Trump Cult is no exception.

The far Right’s dogma and demonization of “liberal media” reflects the same scorn for a free press as the Nazi’s term “Lügenpresse” (lying press).

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The ugly history of ‘Lügenpresse,’ a Nazi slur shouted at a Trump rally

Critics of Adolf Hitler's regime were frequently referred to as members of the “Lügenpresse apparatus.”... “Lügenpresse” (lying press) was an important component under propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.

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We recall the post-Trump-victory celebration by leading ideologue of the alt-right movement Richard B. Spencer, where he said, “Perhaps we should refer to them in the original German?”

The audience immediately screamed back, “Lügenpresse,” reviving a Nazi-era word that means “lying press.”

Mr. Spencer suggested that the news media had been critical of Mr. Trump throughout the campaign in order to protect Jewish interests.

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Dear Leader himself is only too happy to lead the charge against our Constitutional free press.

Even the libertarian Cato Institute understands:

From “Trump’s Dangerous War on Press Freedom”:
By Nat Hentoff and Nick Hentoff

Trump’s outrageous attacks are only the latest assault in a war on press freedom he has waged throughout his campaign, and which he told a journalist at the press conference he intends to carry on into the White House.

At his rallies, Trump has frequently belittled journalists, whom he keeps restricted to a small fenced pen. He’s called reporters “liars,” low-lifes” and “dishonest scum,” as he singles them out for ridicule before the jeering crowd.

“We’re going to open up libel laws and we’re going to have people sue you like you’ve never got sued before,” Trump told journalists at one rally, promising to punish the publication of “purposely negative stories.”

“Donald Trump misunderstands — or, more likely, simply opposes — the role a free press plays in a democratic society,” said Thomas Burr, the National Press Club president. “Reporters are supposed to hold public figures accountable. Any American political candidate who attacks the press for doing its job is campaigning in the wrong country. In the United States, under our Constitution, a free press is a check on politicians of all parties.

“If we are to demand that other countries respect the tradition of a free press, we must also practice that here at home.”

But don’t expect any such demands from Trump if he’s elected president.

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No worries. Trump is eagerly fulfilling his expected role in America’s Last Great Tragedy.