By DR. LARRY MOSES
No one asked me but… I read with interest that a Republican provocateur, one Ann Coulter, had been invited by a Republican student organization to speak at the Berkeley University.
A Republican on the Berkeley Campus in and of itself must be a rarity. To find a Republican in Berkeley makes one believe in unicorns and yetis. Talk about an endangered species.
The university canceled her appearance fearing violence from left wing demonstrators who find Coulter and her rantings objectionable. If you have had the misfortune of hearing Ms. Coulter speak, you too may wish to shut her up. But that is not what free speech is about in America.
While you may disagree with Ms. Coulter; or agree with her but not with the tone in which she delivers her message; you must not keep her from speaking. Free speech means just that. As objectionable as one may find the speech, one must not restrict the speaker.
The slippery slope of hate speech has brought us to the point that any speech to which the liberal left objects is hate speech. Under the First Amendment you are free to speak and you are also free not to listen. You are not, however, free to curtail the speech of others, no matter how objectionable you find it.
What I find amazing is this fascist tactic of disrupting speakers is being used by the liberal Democrats; and they have the ability to somehow depict the conservative Republicans as the fascists. Jocelyn Gecker, a reporter for the Associated Press, placed the blame for violence on the young Republicans at Berkeley. That is the same as accusing the abused wife of causing the abuse.
What I find strange is that the disruption and violence at various political rallies has been initiated by the extreme liberal left that grew out of the love and peace movement of the 60’s.
When Republican Dean Heller held a town hall meeting, left wing liberal Democrats disrupted the meeting and shouted the Senator down. Senator Heller was held accountable for the disturbance rather than those who disrupted. One must wonder if the adolescent behavior of the left wing liberals will not grow old by the next election cycle.
The American people may well grow tried of the ranting and ravings and “spoiled child” syndrome of the American left. The Democrats need to find an “adult in the room” and curb the demonstrations against the new administration and start to convince the American people that they have a program that is better than the one that is being championed by the present Republican administration.
No one asked me but… Attorney General Jeff Sessions has indicated that sanctuary cities who harbor illegal aliens are violating federal law and will be denied federal funding if they do not cease and desist. This is a refreshing approach after eight years of picking and choosing what laws the executive branch of the federal government will enforce and which laws they will ignore.
Probably the greatest failure of the Obama administration was the President’s failure to live up to his oath of office. The oath states “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution referring to the duties of the President states “… he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed…” This does not say the laws he agrees with but all the laws of the land. While it is Congress’ role to pass laws and the Court’s role to interpret the law it is the President’s job to enforce the law.
If the President disagrees with the law passed by Congress, he has veto power which can be overridden by 2/3 vote of Congress. However, once a law is passed the President cannot, without violating his oath, refuse to enforce the law.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio may be glad to learn that his enforcement of the national immigration laws was not the UN-Constitutional mess that A.G. Eric Holder and President Obama made it out to be. Both of these federal officials should have enforced the federal immigration laws rather than attack a local official who did so.
After attacking the issue of the enforcement of the federal laws against illegal immigration, the present administration may want to review other federal laws that are being violated across the country.
Probably the most obvious one is the legalization of marijuana in various states including here in East California, better known as the State of Nevada.
Here is an interesting thought. While the Nevada State Legislature has legalized, in violation of federal law, the recreational use of marijuana, it only controls 16 percent of the State. One must wonder then if the recreational use of marijuana is legal in the other 84 percent of the territory of Nevada.
If the President were to fulfill his oath of office he would enforce the federal law throughout the land and close down recreational marijuana everywhere. Maybe A.G. Sessions could then look into enforcing the Taylor Grazing Act and get the court action against the Bundys dropped.
I am not opposing the legalization of Marijuana or any other drug a person is stupid enough to use. I personally don’t care who smokes what. I really don’t care much about stopping adults from ruining their body with any drug if they so choose. I understand the argument that these drug addicts become a drain on the social services of America. Can that be more costly than the gang activity supported by the illegal sale of drugs? I believe Congress needs to pass a law dealing with legalizing those who entered the country illegally and have violated no other laws of the land. However, there are federal laws against each of these and the President should enforce them.
Thought of the week…When I so pressingly urge a strict observance of all the laws, let me not be understood as saying there are no bad laws, nor that grievances may not arise, for the redress of which, no legal provisions have been made. I mean to say no such thing. But I do mean to say, that, although bad laws, if they exist, should be repealed as soon as possible, still while they continue in force, for the sake of example, they should be religiously observed.”
– The Collected Works of
Abraham Lincoln
