It occurred to me while reading and listening to all the debate this fall about the healthcare bill that We the People would not have the right to free speech had it not been for our founding fathers writing the constitution and the First Amendment. We must also not forget the sacrifices that American soldiers have given since than in the name of freedom as well.
The first Amendment reads as follows.
Amendment 1 - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Notes for this amendment:
Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791
Let's fast forward 218 years. We the people are peaceably assembling and using our first Amendment rights to free speech in town hall meetings throughout the country to show our displeasure with our elected represenatives over the healthcare bill, and other grievances.
On Tuesday, August 04, 2009 at 6:55 A.M., America changed forever.
For it was at that time a post was added to the White House Blog which asks Americans to return to the days of McCarthyism.
However; staying true to his campaign slogan to bring “Change to America”, President Obama is asking you to snitch on your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and complete strangers – not for being “Red”, but for being Blue – as in a true-blue American exercising your right to free speech and dissent.
In case you haven’t seen it, here’s an excerpt of the White House blog post…
Opponents of health insurance reform may find the truth a little inconvenient, but as our second president famously said, “facts are stubborn things.”
Scary chain emails and videos are starting to percolate on the internet, breathlessly claiming, for example, to “uncover” the truth about the President’s health insurance reform positions…
…There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.
I would like to remind our president that our founding fathers and later generations have fought and sacrificied lives so that you Mr. President and We the People of America may have the right to free speech.
I find it repulsive and repugnant that you would disgrace America's fallen hero's.


