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NBC Opinion: Michigan coronavirus protesters shout 'liberty!' -- as right-wing rhetoric weaponizes freedom
NBC "News" / Comcast ^ | May 14, 2020 | By Marcie Bianco

Posted on 05/14/2020 3:05:24 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

What is the difference between liberty and freedom in the eyes of many Americans?

Absolutely nothing.

And therein lies not only the problem driving the culture war around coronavirus shelter-in-place orders but also arguably the crux of all fronts of America's culture wars, from guns to religion to speech to - now, it seems - haircuts.

It is a slippage skillfully leveraged by conservatives.

This week in Michigan, armed protesters are heeding the call. But the petulant rallying cries echo across the United States.

"Give me liberty or give me death!" - so goes the universal whine, lifted from Patrick Henry's Virginia Convention speech in 1775.

My fellow Americans, liberty does not mean what you think it means.

Liberty is a type of freedom defined and limited by civil society. It is not an unrestrained, unchecked license to do whatever one desires. Rather, liberty is a right constituted by the society - or, here, nation - one lives in.

Data show that people of color are suffering higher rates of COVID-19 infection and mortality than white people. Data also show that pandemic protesters are largely right-wing white people. It does not take a genius to comprehend how the language of freedom and liberty has been weaponized against black and brown communities in America.

But language matters. Instead of indiscriminately crying "freedom!" or "liberty!" to defend one's assumed right to offend or harm, what might happen if we were to understand liberty as a freedom existing and expressed alongside the freedom of all Americans? Liberty as a type of freedom that holds us accountable for the welfare of the nation and all its people? Might we, then, form a more perfect union?

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


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: bias; despotism; dnctalkingpoints; enemedia; garbage; hack; journalism; marciebianco; media; millennial; pandemic; playtheracecard; salon; usefulidiot; vanityfair; vox; womensmediacenter
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To: Bullish

You’re right but I disagree with the crux of your post: NBC needs to keep up the racist banging of the drum for the more people tire of hearing it, the better our prospects in November.


21 posted on 05/14/2020 4:47:14 AM PDT by LateBoomer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Wow, no agenda from her is there?


22 posted on 05/14/2020 4:49:05 AM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: big bad easter bunny

English teachers from a long time ago not todays.


23 posted on 05/14/2020 4:50:32 AM PDT by Midnitethecat (St)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
My fellow Americans, liberty does not mean what you think it means.

Shut up, moron. I know what liberty means and you’re not my fellow American.

24 posted on 05/14/2020 4:54:20 AM PDT by johniegrad
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To: Husker24

“Weaponizing Freedom” I really like the term. Isn’t that what America has stood for since 1775? I have a feeling the blue state governors will soon see their huddled masses, yearning to free, become infected with WF.


25 posted on 05/14/2020 5:00:03 AM PDT by hardspunned (MAGA, now more than ever)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

Liberty is a condition that one lives. Living in liberty allows us to fully enjoy our God given rights. Those rights we call freedoms. They DO NOT come from government. They DO NOT come from society. They come from God.

As men, we have tasked government to protect those God given rights. We the people gave government certain powers that enable government to protect our God given rights. Those powers are on loan from the people.

Among the powers is the ability to deprive a guilty man his liberties. This is done through laws and process that must adhere to the constitutional.

This entire government forced shutdown deprives the innocent of their liberties with no due process.

I will not go into a civic lesson on due process. I think the point is made that Marcie Bianco doesn't know jack schiff about freedom and liberty and where they come from.

26 posted on 05/14/2020 5:03:22 AM PDT by ConservativeInPA (It's official! I'm nominated for the 2020 Mr. Hyperbole and Sarcasm Award.)
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To: SkyPilot
Marcie Bianco
@MarcieBianco
Feminist, writer, cultural critic. #DeepLez creator. Atheist. #QualifiedLesbian. Views=always my own. Looking for a lit agent!
27 posted on 05/14/2020 5:08:10 AM PDT by ConservativeInPA (It's official! I'm nominated for the 2020 Mr. Hyperbole and Sarcasm Award.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

As far as the Left is concerned, freedom has always been a weapon. We, however, take it very literally... III%


28 posted on 05/14/2020 5:11:26 AM PDT by ManHunter (You can run, but you'll only die tired... Army snipers: Reach out and touch someone)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Weaponized Freedom! Makes me want to shoot a Redcoat.

29 posted on 05/14/2020 5:18:44 AM PDT by KarlInOhio (Parachutes are only anecdotally effective due to the lack of significant double blind testing.)
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To: johniegrad

Shouldn’t she go catch Corona for the cause?


30 posted on 05/14/2020 5:21:49 AM PDT by bray (Pray for President Trump)
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To: KarlInOhio
Weaponized Freedom! Makes me want to shoot a Redcoat.

I don't care who your are, that there's funny!

31 posted on 05/14/2020 5:37:40 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Also the author of:

“THE LEFT IS INSANE… NBC NEWS Report: Heterosexuality Is Just Not Working”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3773906/posts

“The patriarchal race to colonize Mars is just another example of male entitlement”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3634037/posts


32 posted on 05/14/2020 5:44:26 AM PDT by Faith Presses On (Above all, politics should serve the Great Commission, "preparing the way for the Lord.")
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“Weaponizing freedom”???

About damn time!


33 posted on 05/14/2020 5:44:49 AM PDT by PubliusMM (RKBA; a matter of fact, not opinion. Mr Trump, we've got your six.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Bianco pretends to understand liberty and freedom. She understands neither.

And to characterize Patrick Henry's passion as a "universal whine" is to instead show clearly to those who stumble onto her opinion Bianco's breathtaking level of ignorance about and her vile ingratitude toward our Republic and to American citizens.

34 posted on 05/14/2020 5:50:57 AM PDT by glennaro (Hanlon's Razor: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity")
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To: Faith Presses On
“The patriarchal race to colonize Mars is just another example of male entitlement”

Every time I hear leftist prattle like that I'm reminded of Robert Downey Jr.'s character in Back to School: “Violent ground acquisition games such as football is in fact a crypto-fascist metaphor for nuclear war.”

35 posted on 05/14/2020 5:54:09 AM PDT by KarlInOhio (Parachutes are only anecdotally effective due to the lack of significant double blind testing.)
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To: Flick Lives

I was wondering if she then accepts liberty defined by a slave society to mean that freedom is where you are free to go and pick cotton for your masters.


36 posted on 05/14/2020 6:20:06 AM PDT by Kirkwood (Follow your Inner Trump)
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To: tinyowl

She mentions the Declaration but fails to mention that it specifically states that Liberty (along with life and the pursuit of happiness) is endowed by the CREATOR. Not Society!


37 posted on 05/14/2020 6:20:34 AM PDT by nhbob1
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Liberty is a type of freedom defined and limited by civil society. It is not an unrestrained, unchecked license to do whatever one desires. Rather, liberty is a right constituted by the society - or, here, nation - one lives in.


I have had this discussion with libs. In their minds, if you restrict govt in any way shape or form, you are an anarchist.


38 posted on 05/14/2020 6:23:40 AM PDT by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are no longer being issued but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose Nothin', don't mean nothin' hon' if it ain't free
Me and bobby Mcgee
39 posted on 05/14/2020 7:01:23 AM PDT by mc5cents
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To: nhbob1

Yeah that’s exactly what I latched onto. She got it not just wrong but ... specifically, explicitly... 180 degrees exact-opposite ... and in direct, violent contradiction to what the founders explicitly wrote and was their MOST IMPORTANT POINT ... it’s THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THE USA. It’s the single defining characteristic!


40 posted on 05/14/2020 7:34:28 AM PDT by tinyowl (A is A)
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