Newt Gingrich - Traitor

The First Amendment guarantees each individual, no matter how outrageous their ideas, freedom to speak their thoughts.

As a former congressman, Gingrich, at some point in his farcical political life, would have sworn an oath to support and defend the above mentioned First Amendment.

Though Gingrich is no longer electorally enthroned in the halls of congress, the words which follow, spoken by Gingrich at the Nackey S. Loeb First Amendment award dinner, are treasonously affronting, and, illustrate just how low the once mighty will stoop in their quest to reclaim notoriety.

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich yesterday said the country will be forced to reexamine freedom of speech to meet the threat of terrorism.

Gingrich, speaking at a Manchester awards banquet, said a “different set of rules” may be needed to reduce terrorists’ ability to use the Internet and free speech to recruit and get out their message.

Gingrich raises alarm at event honoring those who stand up for freedom of speech

Gingrich is free to speak his thoughts regarding restricting freedom of speech, but he should not be free from scorn and ridicule for expressing such an affronting, and constitutionally traitorous thought.

Posted by on 11/28 at 01:29 PM

  1. Agreed.

    Posted by Happy Curmudgeon  on  11/28  at  07:12 PM

  2. Still, would you not agree (Not that I’m defending Newt but the article does’nt provide adequate context into his line of thought) that Freedom of Speech carries with it special duties and responsibilities and that it may therefore be subject to certain restrictions? i.e:

    1. For respect of the rights or reputations of others.

    2. For the protection of national security (terrorism) or of public order, or of public health or morals.

    Americans truly do embrace the central belief that freedom of thought, conscience and expression are numinous values, linked to our defining characteristics as human beings. So while limits must exist, American culture and law approach such limits with abiding caution and skepticism, embracing freedom of speech as a value of transcendent constitutional importance.

    “All that makes existence valuable to anyone depends on the enforcement of restraints upon the actions of other people. Some rules of conduct, therefore, must be imposed—by law in the first place, and by opinion on many things which are not fit subjects for the operation of law.” - John Stewart Mill

    Posted by Wizard  on  11/29  at  08:12 AM

  3. The Union Leader article you’ve linked quotes Gingrich on his rationale for curtailing free speech:  “We need to get ahead of the curve before we actually lose a city, which I think could happen in the next decade.”

    Well, I can see how monitoring the speech of suspected terrorists might lead to the prevention of an urban vaporization or two, theoretically anyway.  But how would preventing such speech play in?  Assuming that were possible, I mean.  Seems like the more the bad guys blather on where they can be seen and heard, the more likely it is that the good guys will pick up on what trash can to hang out by on which street corner.  Or, more likely, I guess, which ship to prevent from entering which port (and lotsa luck with that).

    Is he just the gabbling old fear-monger he appears to be, or does Newt Gingrich really believe he can prevent a nuclear terrorist attack of an American city by attempting to disrupt communication among people in the US?  Sounds tricky.  Wonder how much it will cost, in dollars as well as inalienable rights?

    Posted by  on  11/29  at  08:29 AM

  4. Wizard, the last portion of the Mills quote you posted in your comment provides the answer to your own question in the first sentence of your comment - ... by opinion on many things which are not fit subjects for the operation of law.

    Posted by John Venlet  on  11/29  at  01:32 PM

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