Free Speech in the Context of Charlie Kirk’s Murder – PJ Media

Let’s start with some basics: Your rights do not come from the government. Our founders recognized this when they signed off on the Declaration of Independence, which said in part: “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—.” 

In other words, those rights are yours even in the absence of the government. Indeed, the entire Constitution is written with the idea that the government needs to be limited in power and scope to protect those rights. Its signatories understood that, in the absence of that clear prohibition enshrined in the constitution, the government would be restricting those rights before the ink of their signatures was dry. 

Tim Kaine, the other day, flew in the face of that basic principle. He believes that rights should be derived from laws and government rather than being bestowed by a Creator, which contradicts a core principle of the Declaration of Independence. Ted Cruz, in response, took him to school. It amazes me that someone like Kane, who swore an oath of office to uphold the most sacred document of our republic, would hold such a grossly ignorant view of it.

Alas, Kaine is not alone in not understanding the basic functions of our Constitution.

The Constitution was written as a limit on government, not the people. Just now, we are seeing a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth as society reacts to the way over the line rhetoric from the left as regards the political assassination of Charlie Kirk. The people making these horrifying comments are now complaining about society’s reactions to those comments, in part suggesting that their First Amendment rights are being violated. As with Tim Kaine, this strikes me as a gross misunderstanding of what the First Amendment to the Constitution does.

I am reminded of similar complaints in the Bud Light fiasco of a couple of years back, where Bud Light essentially virtue-signaled itself out of existence. The reaction of the people, not the government, resulted in serious damage to the Bud Light brand, which industry insiders suggest they’ll never recover from. This resulted in many people on the left mouthing First Amendment rhetoric. 

Similarly, back in 2017, Madonna released an album, which basically crashed and burned. I can’t even find the thing online anymore. Only sold about 3,800 copies over about six months. Obviously, her popularity has seen a serious drop-off. I suggest it just might have something to do with her mouthing off in support of the usual left-wing causes, which are not even close to what the general population supports. 

One can add, I suppose, the problems the NFL was having a couple of seasons ago. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had a time righting the ship after that. (Admittedly, the reaction of the NFL to Charlie Kirk’s murder last weekend seems to indicate a somewhat more even keel.)

Like these others, they, too, learned the lesson: Lean left, lose the public support your cause depends on. All without governmental involvement.

Here it is, kids: The Constitution does not limit, nor does it even address, the actions of society, just those of the government. Put another way, you have the right to free speech. With the exception of government action against you (Assuming it’s not burning down buildings, threatening to kill cops, endangering life and property, and so on), I will defend to the death the right to express such opinions, but you do not have the right to avoid the societal consequences of that speech. 

Losing your business, your job, etc., in reaction to what you say or write, so long as a government action doesn’t cause that reaction, is part and parcel of the concept of free speech. Yeah, I know. It’s a big conspiracy against the left. A bunch of evil conservatives got together and conspired to have leftists damage their own cause by simply letting them speak; let them do and say what they will because ideas and the expression of them have consequences. Let them be fools, and let them forever be labeled as such with labels written in their own hand. Sorry, but back to reality. Karma is a cruel mistress. 

And make no mistake here. Charlie Kirk is hardly alone in being attacked by leftists. Hayden Williams, Ben Shapiro, Dennis Prager, to name but a few, are also subject to harassment and in some cases… (I think I’d be correct in naming Williams) have been subject to outright violence at the hands of leftists. Enough that there’s a perception of this being a trend.

Mark Lewis says this morning: “I just read the following on X (I won’t give the poster’s name): ‘Erika Kirk needs to die. We need more heroes like Tyler Robinson.’ Where does someone develop a hatred like that?”

Can you beat that? They’re making Robinson out to be a hero?

Leftists: Don’t even THINK about telling me about civil conversation, of hate speech, of your First Amendment rights, of discussion of the issues in a sane manner, etc., etc. Charlie Kirk represented someone who was totally dedicated to just those things and was engaged in that activity, when one of your own killed him for it. And your side continues to threaten such violence, while most of you hold your silence, be it out of fear or agreement.

Again, I’ll defend to the death anyone’s right to say such things, but I’ll also be on the front lines exercising my free speech rights, loudly denouncing such statements and actions. Who is with me?

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