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Governments Don’t Like It When We Gather without Their Permission - Freedom of association is under attack.
American Thinker ^ | 17 Aug, 2026 | J.B. Shurk |

Posted on 08/17/2026 4:44:58 AM PDT by MtnClimber

There are a number of ways in which Western governments are waging war against their citizens. The United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and leftists in the United States do not believe in free speech. These Western governments also spy on their citizens without warrants or probable cause. They have transformed their court systems into ideologically-partisan dictatorships that impose rulings based upon feelings and “political correctness,” rather than black-letter law and self-restraint. An offense that often gets overlooked, however, is Western governments’ infringement of citizens’ freedom of association.

Freedom of association is our natural, God-given right to meet with likeminded people, discuss ideas, express ourselves, and promote our mutual interests. As with freedom of speech, it is fundamental to any notion of liberty. Respect for freedom of association is the bedrock for religious freedom, freedom of conscience, communal identity, and national self-determination.

Countries are born when people of common ancestry, language, history, and customs choose to work together and defend their way of life. Towns spring up when likeminded people settle and develop a region together. Religious congregations grow through common worship. Schools, skilled trade unions, clubs, sports leagues, and civic organizations of all types are formed when people come together to pursue similar interests and advance shared ideas.

At its heart, freedom of association respects human beings’ natural inclination to cooperate with others to build something together that would not be possible for any one person to build alone. As a voluntary commitment to pursue a group’s common aims, it is the collective expression of each individual’s personal liberty.

As with all God-given rights and liberties, government power (or State authority) is the greatest threat to freedom of association. When governments prevent people from discussing ideas, worshiping together, working together, or pursuing common interests,

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: leftism

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1 posted on 08/17/2026 4:44:58 AM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

We can see the left in the UK doing what the left in the USA would like to do.


2 posted on 08/17/2026 4:45:11 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber
(Governments Don’t Like It When
We Gather without Their Permission)

The overwhelming majority of the World 🌍🌎🌏
simply doesn't understand WHY I'm mentioning
'Geofencing' all of the time nor WHY they should care

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♀️🤦

They're going to find out why I do

AND there won't be ANY going back 🔙🔙🔙

It's about to get really interesting...



3 posted on 08/17/2026 5:00:56 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They Did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: MtnClimber

We got pretty close to that during Covid.


4 posted on 08/17/2026 5:00:59 AM PDT by jmcenanly (You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.” ― Winston)
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To: jmcenanly

Next time there will be blood.


5 posted on 08/17/2026 5:03:24 AM PDT by logi_cal869 (-cynicus the "concern troll" a/o 10/03/2018 "/!i!! &@$%&*(@ -')
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The Plan is to Lock Up Humanity in Digital Smart Cities (CBDC, Facial Recognition, GEOFENCING) (My title - SHORT VIDEO 1:27 long)

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/4329921/posts


Geofencing: “Think of it as an invisible fence around you... that will be related to your Face Recognition, Digital Identity, and Access Control”

Big Tech whistleblower Aman Jabbi exposes the Digital Prison being constructed all around us in this clip from The Agenda: Their Vision Your Future.


6 posted on 08/17/2026 5:06:46 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They Did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: jmcenanly

I would say we actually got there. When the government told me how many people I could have over at my house for Thanksgiving, I knew we were in very serious trouble.


7 posted on 08/17/2026 5:09:05 AM PDT by drwoof
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To: jmcenanly

COVID-19(84) was just the Dry Run...


8 posted on 08/17/2026 5:09:14 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They Did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: MtnClimber

United States do not believe in free speech.

If true that story wouldn’t have been made.


9 posted on 08/17/2026 5:28:24 AM PDT by Vaduz (NEVER TRUST A DEMOCRAT)
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To: MtnClimber

“Governments Don’t Like It When We Gather without Their Permission - Freedom of association is under attack.”

The nice thing about Flock Cameras (nice, for our government masters that is) is that it makes it REALLY EASY to prevent meet-ups of Conservatives.


10 posted on 08/17/2026 5:37:00 AM PDT by BobL (Trusting one's doctor is the #1 health mistake one can make.)
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To: MtnClimber

Flock cameras.


11 posted on 08/17/2026 6:21:34 AM PDT by brownsfan (We are already on the slippery slope.)
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To: MtnClimber

I’m made of metal
My circuits gleam

I am perpetual
I keep the country clean

Judas Priest - Electric Eye (From ‘Screaming For Vengeance’)


12 posted on 08/17/2026 6:26:09 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: brownsfan; BobL; dfwgator; null and void
Every move
You make,
Every breath
You take,
I'll be
Watching You



13 posted on 08/17/2026 6:56:08 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They Did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: MtnClimber

How soon before we become like the UK?

“British Police Unit Flags Over 100 Social Media Posts For Arrest Amid Immigration Backlash”

As it is now, any time we try to organize ourselves together to protect and defend our rights we are called “Nazis” and “KKK” - yet it is A-OK for every other race/ethnic/LGBT group to band together - and even march in the streets - to defend their rights.


14 posted on 08/17/2026 7:19:54 AM PDT by Bon of Babble (You Say You Want a Revolution?)
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To: SaveFerris
Collective Soul - Eye On You (Official Video)
15 posted on 08/17/2026 8:11:22 AM PDT by eldoradude (Think for yourself...)
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To: MtnClimber

True dat.


16 posted on 08/17/2026 8:25:00 AM PDT by sauropod (Make sure Satan has to climb over a lot of Scripture to get to you. John MacArthur Ne supra crepidam)
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To: SaveFerris

For their own good, to enable their location when they are lost, 3 small chips with antenna will be planted in their forehead to enable triangulation.

...6...
..6.6..


17 posted on 08/17/2026 8:48:25 AM PDT by spintreebob
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To: spintreebob

We Sure Do Live in Interesting Times

🛐🛐🙏🙏✝️✝️


18 posted on 08/17/2026 9:47:05 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They Did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: MtnClimber

bump


19 posted on 08/17/2026 10:55:22 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens. --DJT)
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To: Vaduz

False. The American government does NOT believe in free speech, it merely TOLERATES LIMITED free speech because it is forced to by Constitutional law.

Do not imagine that the government supports your controversial free speech.


20 posted on 08/17/2026 1:10:14 PM PDT by libertarian66 (ld righ)
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