The First Amendment Chill

The first amendment is now actively under attack.

There is a very simple thought experiment that you can do. When you are trying to figure out if we have passed over from democracy to autocracy.

Ask yourself this. Have the people in charge attempted to withhold your right to free press? Countries like Russia, China, and North Korea have this all in common. Now those of us in the United States have joined their company.

Last night we got that answer while Don Lemon was arrested at a hotel in LA. The reasoning was for his activities in Minnesota when he was covering protests being done in a church.

Was it maybe a bad choice of venue? I would probably go with yes. However, the reasoning behind the protest is that the leader of that church works for ICE.

Based on the happenings in Minnesota, to be a pastor and work for a terrorist organization strikes me as extreme hypocrisy. I won’t get into the tragedies that have happened, but most of us know what ICE is doing.

Especially when ICE has made arrests on church property based on the Trump regime's recently rescinding:

“In January 2025, the Trump administration rescinded a long-standing policy that discouraged Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from conducting enforcement actions at "sensitive locations" like churches, schools, and hospitals. This change has led to increased arrests in areas adjacent to churches.”

Once again was Don Lemon maybe doing a story that was in bad taste? Perhaps.

But again his first amendment right is being used. He did not break the law.

This arrest was not justified, and two judges had already refused to try the case. This was done because the regime wanted to chill the right to free speech. They want to scare people from speaking out when wrongdoing is happening.

Recording devices more and more are being knocked out of protestors’ hands, and direct threats are being made to innocent people exercising their rights.

That is a glaring piece of the autocratic playbook. Make people afraid to record evidence of crimes being committed by those in power.

On a personal note, I will continue to document as long as I can. I will keep putting articles out to keep you guys up to date as much as possible. I refuse to sit idly by and watch democracy be abused and taken away.

There are too many good people in this world to allow for a bunch of bullies to take over. We have the numbers, and we have the right to protest nonviolently. They can't arrest us all, and we should use that to our advantage.

Take heart. We will win as long as we continue to resist. There are cracks in the MAGA party, and infighting seems to be ramping up.

It would just be delicious to watch them implode because of their utter incompetence. I truly look forward to that day.

Love you guys.

Erik

(Liberaldad)

PS. What do you guys think? Did Don Lemon cross the line. Let me know.

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