Posted on 05/31/2022 6:38:40 AM PDT by RandFan
"1984" had its Ministry of Truth, the Soviets had their Gulag. Today’s Russians, like their kindred spirits among the American left, may be less overt in policing speech but don’t let a less visible barbarity fool anyone into believing that the goal is any less of an assault on free speech.
Current Russian law punishes speech or public engagement that questions Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or even protests that call it a war. As University of Massachusetts Amherst Associate Professor Lauren McCarthy puts it, "public activities aimed at discrediting the use of Russia’s military," become "a criminal offense if committed twice in a year."
Russian law also criminalizes "spreading ‘false information’ about the Russian military." What qualifies as misinformation? Apparently, calling Russia’s "special operation" in Ukraine by its more common name – war — qualifies as a crime.
In order to have a police force large enough to spy on an entire nation, Russia has ominously created "anonymous denunciation websites." The Venetian Doges, who encouraged citizens to rat out other citizens by dropping anonymous notes in the mouth of the lion (Called: bocche dei leone) would be jealous of today’s technology.
In America, we have not yet granted government the police power to criminalize misinformation, but not for trying. The American Left believes that the public should be protected from anyone who questions COVID-19 orthodoxy.
If a scientist, or an elected official, questions evidence for forcing booster vaccines on teenagers, the speech police want those questions forbidden.
Recently, I went to the Senate floor to protest a policy that commands booster COVID vaccines for the pages, pointing out that there is no scientific evidence that a booster lessens hospitalization or death for teenagers and it certainly doesn’t prevent transmission.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
bttt
Fox conservatives are not to be trusted when it comes to our 1st amendment.
Rand is correct on this, without a doubt. This is what is being taught to youth as well. When you hear kids who are attending college say that the news and social media need to be ‘filtered’, you have a big problem.
There will be a backlash, and when it occurs it will be ugly.
Rand Paul, one of the few bright spots in leadership.
Rand Paul is one of the few leaders. We have not much in the way of "leadership." We have flunkies and running dogs of the WEF.
Proud that he's one of my Senators.
The other one, not so much. He's a subservient puppy dog.
I would like to see Rand as leader of the Senate he is the ONLY ONE there deserving of it!!
I’m just here to see how long until the Russian FReeper contingent calls Rand a “neocon”.
Totalitarians have been WOKE from the dawn of time...
Mr Paul, where are your numerous colleagues who should be standing up,with you in congress, on the floor, reaming the left z new one and proclaiming gmthat America is NOT Russia, it is NOT North Korea, it is NOT China, and that there is no way in hell we wil. Stand for,our first amendment rights or our inalienable rights to,be trampled and thrown in the garbage? Now will we llow the left to give away our sovereignty to foreign organizations? You al. Should be getting this alarm put to the people as well. Our nation fought dictators and tyrants in order to be free, not to go back under a tyrannical reign!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.