Below is my column in USA Today on why the opponents of President Joe Biden should make free speech the focus of this election. With the Supreme Court taking an off ramp in Murthy v. Missouri on Internet censorship, the free speech community is left, for now, with the political process to protect free speech. It is a potentially unifying issue for many Americans who are alarmed by the current anti-free speech movement. I have previously written that the Biden Administration has chilling analogies to the Adams Administration in the weaponization of the legal system and the crackdown on free speech. What should most concern Biden is the possibility of another aspect of history repeating itself: a defeat like the one in 1800.
Here is the column:
Since his dystopian speech outside of Independence Hall in 2022, President Joe Biden has made “democracy is on the ballot” his campaign theme. Pundits have repeated the mantra, claiming that if Biden is not elected, American democracy will perish.
While some of us have challenged these predictions, the other presidential candidates are missing a far more compelling argument going into this election. While democracy is not on the ballot this election, free speech is.
The 2024 election is looking strikingly similar to the election of 1800 and, if so, it does not bode well for Biden.
In my book “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage,” released last week, I discuss our long struggle with free speech as a nation. It is an unvarnished history with powerful stories of our heroes and villains in the struggle to define what Justice Louis Brandeis called our “indispensable right.”
One of the greatest villains in that history was President John Adams, who used the Alien and Sedition Acts to arrest his political opponents – including journalists, members of Congress and others. Many of those prosecuted by the Adams administration were Jeffersonians. In the election of 1800, Thomas Jefferson ran on the issue and defeated Adams.
Government efforts to limit free speech are Orwellian
We are now seeing what is arguably the most dangerous anti-free speech movement in our history. President Joe Biden is, in my view, the most anti-free speech president since Adams. Under his administration, we have seen a massive censorship system funded and directed by the government.
A federal judge described the system as “Orwellian” in its scope and impact.
Biden has repeatedly called for greater censorship and accused social media companies of “killing people” by not silencing more dissenting voices. Other Democrats such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have pushed for restrictions on “unacceptable” speech.
The Biden administration seeks to censor even true statements as disinformation.
For example, I testified before Congress last year on how Jen Easterly, who heads the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, extended her agency’s mandate over critical infrastructure to include “our cognitive infrastructure.” The resulting censorship efforts included combating “malinformation” – described as information “based on fact, but used out of context to mislead, harm, or manipulate.”
The left has picked up the cudgels of censorship and blacklisting once used against them. During the McCarthy period, liberals were called “communist sympathizers.” Now, conservative justices are called “insurrectionist sympathizers.”
Candidates should call out Biden on censorship
In this election, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Jill Stein, Donald Trump and Cornel West should talk about the threats against free speech at every debate and stump speech. They will have to overcome a news media that has been complicit in the attacks on free speech, but these candidates can break through by raising it as a key issue dividing Biden from the rest of the field.
Democrats and the news media have hammered away at cracking down on those accused of “disinformation.” The public, however, has not been won over by those seeking to limit their right of free speech or the push to amend the First Amendment because it’s too “aggressively individualistic.”
So far, the anti-free speech movement has flourished largely in the echo chambers of academia and the media. It is time for the public to render its judgment.
As discussed in my book, we are hardwired for free speech. It is in our DNA. Despite these periods of crackdowns on free speech, we have always rejected those who wanted to regulate the views of others. Jefferson called the Federalists “the reign of the witches.” (Ironically, Jefferson would himself prosecute critics, though not to the same extent as Adams).
Attacks on free speech have returned with a vengeance before another presidential election. After fighting in the courts and in the public to expand censorship, Biden should now have to defend it with the voters. Let’s have at it, as we did in 1800.
Free speech is again on the ballot. It is time for the public to decide.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University and the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”
Democrats are fully onboard for free speech when they own the whole of it. They’re not for democracy in NC when it comes to Cornell West or RFK. They’re only fully onboard for women until or unless it’s a conservative woman they can’t intimidate. They are “my body, my choice” until they militantly want to force untested vaxs on women like Blue Cross TN did when they fired nurses. Funny how they are against voter ID. They are no mystery.
You want to defeat Joe Biden and Obamunism? Let Joe Biden defeat Joe Biden, simple as that. Everyone with a functioning brain sees what they have done since stealing 2020. Truth is funny like that, it shines through for anyone that seeks it.
Mr. President! Mr. President! Your dogs are attacking staff and guests!
Huh? Who’s stacking my chest?
No. No. Your dogs! Dogs biting staff!
Huh? Half Mast? Someone die? Not me! Lol!
No! Mr. President! Mr. President! People are being bitten and injured by your dogs!
Wha? We don’t have hogs. Sausage and hogs. You kidding me. I’ll fight you right here. Secret Service!! Get my dogs You idiots. I’ll show em
“Want to Defeat Joe Biden?”
Agree to a debate.
Apparently, the meds are losing their efficacy.
Google censorship alone produces 15% more votes for the demoncrats.
This no free speech crap is already so far gone don’t expect any reversals, expect a constant increase in the demoncrats cheating with it ten thousand percent then denying it when it is right out in the open and they get caught dumping the cookie jar down their pie hole and choking to death on it
See below as Peter Shill aka turdrunner, loses his mind post debate.
He repeats his claim that Floyd is everyone and then tells that same everyone that Floyd is out to get him.
Watch as he tries to figure out how Floyd posted the Revelation.
By the way, you fvcking idiot, its Revelation, not Revelations.
I am pretty sure this guy is just Floyd, trying to throw us all off.
Bogus Discussion Ahead, Followed By Revelations
The ‘Book’ of Revelations, that is. All of of it! Though first we are treated to a bogus discussion regarding Thursday’s debate. Then a Welsh poem from the 6th Century! And ‘yes’ this voluminous content was posted by Floyd ‘Turdrunner’ Estovir.
The bogus discussion consists of numerous posts by a green anonymous who is undoubtedly Floyd. Then Floyd himself has a conversation with Waters who is also Floyd.
Before we get to Revelations, however, Floyd as Floyd posts that ancient Welsh poem for no reason other than to show he can. A demonstration he repeats as Estovir for the whole book of Revelations.
This harks back to last night when Floyd posted under 28 different names and colors in the span of 76 minutes. However simple or difficult that task might have been, it was was demonstration of Floyd’s capacity to control these threads. He wants us to know this space is Floyd’s to fill as he pleases.
The initial blast was the revelation that The Waste Land was originally titled He Do the Police in Different Voices. There is no clue to what Eliot meant by this unfortunate title. An off-the-cuff guess is that Eliot was alluding obscurely to cockney slang or to a vaudeville routine. Another speculation is that this was a working subtitle expressing Eliot’s preoccupation with authority: one of the main theological theorems of The Waste Land is that God, who utters words like datta (give) and shantih (the peace that passes all understanding), speaks neither sense nor English but, like men, in many voices and even in bad grammar.
https://time.com/archive/6635576/books-he-do-the-police-in-different-voices/
Who is us?
How do we know you’re not Floyd?
“A demonstration he repeats as Estovir for the whole book of Revelations.”
Hey dumb ass, the Revelation post came first. You should read threads from bottom to top. Might make more sense to you.
You gotta be the third dumbest mother fvcker on the planet. Tied with Biden behind Dennis and new George.
Jill Biden the DOCTOR is a despicable, low life, trailer trash, totally class-less, scum to ever occupy the White House as first lady. She is total trailer trash.
Listen to her jurzy trailer trash accent.
There is NO WAY anyone paid to sit and listen to that white trash “teach” a college class.
She is trash. Just like the rest of her family.
As Bannon calls the Biden scum: They are a pack of feral dogs.
@mariashriver
“I love Joe Biden. I know he’s a good man. I know his heart is good. I know he’s dedicated to our country and is surrounded by good people. Tonight was heartbreaking in many ways. This is a big political moment. There’s panic in the Democratic party. It’s going to be a long night.”
__________________
Yes Maria, it was a long night. All those covering for and lying about Joe Biden have been exposed.
No Maria, Joe Biden is not a “good” man. He has never been a “good” man.
No Maria, Joe Biden is not “dedicated to our country”…he is “dedicated” to making the most money he can to enrich HIMSELF and his own FAMILY. The man gives no sh&t about the country. He is in it for himself and always has been self-serving. He believes HE is our leader, not our SERVANT. He is total scum. Always was. Always will be.
Joe Biden is a pathological LIAR, has always been a LIAR, is a corrupt politicians and he is a CRIMINAL who is getting people KILLED due to his incompetence and corruption.
Joe Biden is one of the FILTHIEST politicians to EVER illegitmately occupy the White House.
Wake up, Maria. Join the rest of the country. Joe Biden is scum.
Robert Hur said Biden was not prosecuted for his FELONY CRIMES because he would come across as a well-meaning forgetful old man. (ha! like NEVER IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE HAS JOE BIDEN EVER BEEN WELL-Meaning!!)
WHY DID JAKE & DANA BASH NOT ASK this question?
HOW COULD BIDEN BE UNFIT TO STAND TRIAL FOR HIS FELONY CRIMES…
YET FIT TO RUN THE COUNTRY?
UNREAL. UNREAL. UNREAL.
BIDEN MUST BE PROSECUTED FOR HIS OBVIOUS FELONY CRIMES!
Mr Turley,
I respectfully submit:
The comments on your site are the greatest argument against free speech and the greatest argument for a Theocracy.
But please Soldier On!
“There’s a lot of young women being raped by their in laws, by their spouses, brothers and sisters, its, its just ridiculous”
——The Commander In Chief of The United States
“It’s all in the hands of the voter fraud now.”
(ps Biden’s voice sounds like that because he’s been practicing his answers for this debate for seven days (7 days!!) at Camp David. Holy crap).
That’s a great biden solution to his 20 million illegal aliens raping looting and pillaging while they occupy the best hotels at 5400 hundred bucks a month paid by the taxpayers.
Thanks joey, your raping looting illegals are innocent because INCEST THAT YOU KNOW BEST, PERSONALLY, is really the big problem, huh , shower boy
I was impressed with the job CNN did tonite. Minimal lies from the moderators and reasonably fair in their handling of the questions.
I have to admit, when they opened with a lie about grocery prices I was concerned it was going to be e long night.
Tapper tried to save Joe when he went brain dead, but it was too late.
But now we know, THIS is what it takes for the media to tell the truth.
I wonder if KJP is going to call this whole thing a cheap fake.
Then there is the WaPo, with an article essentially saying biden had a rough night but Trump lied a lot.
Biden said that his tax on billionaires would raise $500B dollars over 10 years, and that would pay off “Trumps debt”, (which was like $8T, and pat for several other things as well.
LMAO fact check that. It must be one of those debt relief companies, working the deal that pays off $8T with only $500B, and with money left over, no less.
Crap. Joe Biden did so poorly, that I believe even more strongly Biden will be replaced.
Yes, but now they have a kamala problem. A lot of angry black women will be sitting at home if its Gavin. No chance without them.
Whats galling is these people knew this all along. Even now, they dont want to replace him because he is unfit to lead. They just know he cant win.
True. Megyn Kelly has been running a great post-debate segment on youtube. It looks like the Democrat Rats are about to desert the ship. I hope Biden stays in the race. But he won’t. He will get sick or something in a week or two. Something physical. I have been saying this for quite a while.
Even Joy Reid
Even Hannity looked ashamed to be taking a victory lap.
Biden has had no troops die this decade.
I guess he really did sleep thru the dignified transfer of the Afghan 13
Free speech is a red herring – it’s meaningless if govt actors who tread on it are immune. Consider linde vs freed – Amy comes Barratt all but assumed that ,’blocking’ by govt was a 1983 deal – and wrote the play book. How to advisory avoid it – Yesterday she wrote another play book. Good luck finding the govt actor who does suppress. Meanwhile people chaulk up criminal records – bc their speech- and 1983 is no good to them …bc they been criminally convicted already on catch all harassment or obstruction charges. As such 1983 won’t address it. The play book is certain – free speech is in peril as long as the govt can criminalize speech – which they do. Yet we piss around with the pie sky 1st – when our real war is immunity –
How is it la man lenting behind Jalil bars for speaking his mind doesn’t halve a $1983 case- while a guy merely “blocked” does-? How Amy?
Yet Barratt bought the court another generation of arguing – for sure about roles and standing et al – she bought another 100 years of uncertainty- will the republic live that long? Her advisory and dicta – means we gotta fight that long – if patient. Which pplare not. Don’t tell me to my Lying eyes you can’t be advisory – while you advise – and dint tell me mere “blocked” has a claim while those jailed don’t- don’t lie to me lyong eyes. Ppl are smarter than your ivory towers credit. And pplsee it for the game Barratt scams.
What I dont understand is, why is everyone acting so surprised???
Where has everyone been the last 3 years when the POTUS has been saying “i have a list of who i am allowed to call on”
Is it just me, or did Biden sound EXACTLY like Gigi tonight?
The White House has started already. They are claiming that Biden has a cold.
Did i hear him say he talked to the soldiers that died in Normandy???
He was more Gigi when he had that blood red background.
Well said
I won’t even bother to watch the so called “debate” tonight because it isn’t a debate, its two corporate puppet stooges playing it up for the camera along with bought and paid for moderators posing as journalists. Its sham theater, nothing more.
If it were a real debate, and if either of these candidates were real candidates they’d debate RFK and the other candidates. But they won’t because they’re afraid to.
If they aren’t man enough to face the little guy then they aren’t the big guy.
I too refuse to communicate with 79 percent the electorate – bc it’s a joke – by die bold.wgo controls election counts. Not doing their fiction. Either. Enjoy life.
To Whichever Anonymi Has Discovered That I Am Legion – (The Demon Estovir, The Possessed Magus From Kansas, The Devil from Upstate New York, etc.), I present this!
I HAVE been in a multitude of shapes,
Before I assumed a consistent form.1
I have been a sword, narrow, variegated,
I will believe when it is apparent.
I have been a tear in the air,
I have been the dullest of stars.
I have been a word among letters,
I have been a book in the origin.
I have been the light of lanterns,
A year and a half.
I have been a continuing bridge,
Over three score Abers.2
I have been a course, I have been an eagle.
I have been a coracle in the seas:
I have been compliant in the banquet.
I have been a drop in a shower;
I have been a sword in the grasp of the hand
I have been a shield in battle.
I have been a string in a harp,
Disguised for nine years.
in water, in foam.
I have been sponge in the fire,
I have been wood in the covert.
I am not he who will not sing of
A combat though small,
The conflict in the battle of Godeu of sprigs.
Against the Guledig of Prydain,3
There passed central horses,
Fleets full of riches.
There passed an animal with wide jaws,
On it there were a hundred heads.
And a battle was contested
Under the root of his tongue;
And another battle there is
In his occiput.4
A black sprawling toad,
With a hundred claws on it.
A snake speckled, crested.
A hundred souls through sin
Shall be tormented in its flesh
I have been in Caer Vevenir5
Thither hastened grass and trees
Minstrels were singing
Warrior-bands were wondering
At the exaltation of the Brython,
That Gwydyon6 affected.
There was a calling on the Creator,
Upon Christ for causes,
Until when the Eternal
Should deliver those whom he had made.
The Lord answered them,
Through language and elements:
Take the forms of time prinncipal trees,
Arranging yourselves in battle array,
And restraining the public.
Inexperienced in battle hand to hand.
When the trees were enchanted,
In the expectation of not being trees,
The trees uttered their voices
From strings of harmony,
The disputes ceased.
Let us cut short heavy days,
A female restrained the din.
She came forth altogether lovely.
The head of the line, the head was a female.
The advantage of a sleepless cow
Would not make us give way.
The blood of men up to our thighs,
The greatest of importunate mental exertions
Sported in the world.
And one has ended
From considering the deluge,
And Christ crucified
And the day of judgement near at hand
The alder trees, the head of the line,
Formed the van.
The willows and quicken trees
Came late to the army.
Plum-trees, that are scarce,
Unlonged for of men
The elaborate medlar-trees
Tue objects of contention.
The prickly rose-bushes,
Against a host, of giants,
The raspberry brake did
What is better failed
For the security of life.
Privet and woodbine
And ivy on its front,
Like furze to the combat
The cherry-tree was provoked.
The birch, notwithstanding his high mind,
Was late before he was arrayed.
Not because of his cowardice,
But on account of his greatness.
The laburnuin held in mind,
That your wild nature was foreign.
Pine-trees in the porch,
The chair of disputation,
By me greatly exalted,
In the presence of kings
The elm with his retinue,
Did not go aside a foot
He would fight with the centre,
And the flanks, and the rear.
Hazel-trees, it was judged,
That ample was thy mental exertion
The privet, happy his lot,
The bull of battle, the lord of the world
Morawg and Morydd7
Were made prosperous in pines.
Holly, it was tinted with green,
He was the hero.
The hawthorn, surrounded by prickles,
With pain at his hand.
The aspen-wood has been topped,
It was topped in battle.
The fern that was plundered
The broom, in the van of the army, in the trenches he was hurt.
The gorse did not do well,
Notwithstanding let it overspread.
The heath was victorious, keeping off on all sides.
The common people were charmed,
During time proceeding of the men.
The oak, quickly moving,
Before him, tremble heaven and earth.
A valiant door-keeper against an enenly,
his name is considered.
The blue-bells combined,
And caused a consternation.
In rejecting, were rejected,
Others, that were perforated.
Pear-trees, the best intruders
In time conflict of the plain.
A very wrathful wood,
The chestnut is bashful,
The opponent of happiness,
The jet has become black,
The mountain has become crooked,
The woods have become a kiln,
Existing formerly in the great seas
Since was heard the shout:–
The tops of the birch covered us with leaves,
And transformed us, and changed our faded state.
The branches of the oak have ensnared us
From the Gwarchan of Maelderw.8
Laughing on the side of the rock,
The lord is not of an ardent nature.
Not of mother and father,
When I was made,
Did my Creator create me.9
Of nine-formed faculties,
Of the fruit of fruits,
Of the fruit of the primordial God,
Of primroses and blossoms of time hill,
Of the flowers of trees and shrubs.
Of earth, of an earthly course,
When I was formed.
Of the flower of nettles,
Of the water of the ninth wave.
I was enchanted by Math,10
Before I became immortal,
I was enchanted by Gwydyon
The great purifier of the Brython,
Of Eurwys, of Euron,
Of Euron, of Modron.11
Of five battalions of scientific ones.
Teachers, children of Math.
When the removal occurred,
I was enchanted by the Guledig.
When he was half-burnt,
I was enchanted by the sage
Of sages, in the primitive world.
When I had a being;
When the host of the world was in dignity,
The bard was accustomed to benefits.
To the song of praise I am inclined, which the tongue recites.
I played in the twilight,
I slept in purple;
I was truly in the enchantment
With Dylan, the son of the wave.12
In the circumference, in the middle,
Between the knees of kings,
Scattering spears not keen,
From heaven when came,
To the great deep, floods,
In the battle there will be
Four score hundreds,
That will divide according to their will.
They are neither older nor younger,
Than myself in their divisions.
A wonder, Canhwr are born, every one of nine hundred.
He was with me also,
With my sword spotted with blood.
honour was allotted to me
By the Lord, and protection (was) where he was.
If I come to where the boar was killed,
He will compose, he will decompose,
He will form languages.
The strong-handed gleamer, his name,
With a gleam he rules his numbers.
They would spread out. in a flame,
When I shall go on high.
I have been a speckled snake on the hill,
I have been a viper in the Llyn.
I have been a bill-hook crooked that cuts,
I have been a ferocious spear
With my chasuble and bowl
I will prophesy not badly,
Four score smokes
On every one what will bring.
Five battalions of arms
Will be caught by my knife.
Six steeds of yellow hue
A hundred times better is
My cream-coloured steed,
Swift as the sea-mew
Which will not pass
Between the sea and the shore.
Am I not pre-eminent in the field of blood?
Over it are a hundred chieftains.
Crimson (is) the gem of my belt,
Gold my shield border.
There has not been born, in the gap,
That has been visiting me,
Except Goronwy,13
From the dales of Edrywy.
Long white my fingers,
It is long since I have been a herdsman.
I travelled in the earth,
Before I was a proficient in learning.
I travelled, I made a circuit,
I slept in a hundred islands
A hundred Caers I have dwelt in.
Ye intelligent Druids,
Declare to Arthur,14
What is there more early
Than I that they sing of.
And one is come
From considering the deluge,
And Christ crucified,
And the day of future doom.
A golden gem in a golden jewel.
I am splendid
And shall be wanton
From the oppression of the metal-workers.15
Can Turley explain how the Russian troll Estovir managed to type the entire book of Revelation here?
This is some sort of sorcery or technical hanky panky.
This proves Darren is Estovir.
Floyd ‘Turdrunner’ Estovir is the ‘good Christian’ who has to use endless profanities when responding to liberals. And just below, Floyd posts the entire book of Revelations to illustrate what a ‘good Christian’ he is.
^^^^^turdrunner