The Erosion of Constitutional Rights and Government Abuse of Power
You Can Save America
In recent years, a disturbing trend has emerged in American governance: the systematic erosion of Constitutional rights. As government overreach expands, the foundational principles enshrined in the Constitution are being worn away, leaving citizens increasingly vulnerable to abuses of power. This article explores how this erosion is manifesting, particularly in the areas of free speech and religious freedom, and why it is crucial for Americans to recognize and resist these encroachments.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees several key freedoms, including the freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion. These rights are not just fundamental on their own - they are deeply interconnected. When the government infringes on one, the other is often at risk as well. More
The suppression of free speech, particularly when it comes to religious expression, is a clear sign of a government that is overstepping its bounds.
In today’s climate, we see numerous examples of this connection. Consider the pressure exerted by the Biden-Harris administration on social media platforms like Facebook to control the information citizens can access. Mark Zuckerberg’s recent admission that Facebook bowed to government pressure during the pandemic to censor certain viewpoints is a case in point. This is not just a violation of free speech - it is a direct attack on the free exchange of ideas, including those rooted in religious beliefs.
Religious freedom is intrinsically tied to the ability to speak freely about one’s beliefs. When Big Tech cancels or censors, sometimes at the behest of or in collaboration with government, and determines which voices are allowed to be heard and which are silenced, it is not just an infringement on speech; it is an assault on the free exercise of religion. For instance, religious groups that oppose certain government policies, such as vaccine mandates or abortion, find themselves increasingly marginalized, outright silenced, jailed, or facing violence. This selective suppression of speech and religious expression creates a dangerous precedent where government-approved narratives become the only permissible truths. (We are seeing it in other countries too.)
The relationship between government overreach, censorship, and lawfare may be complex, but it is unmistakable. When the government uses its power to suppress dissenting voices, it may claim to do so under the guise of combating misinformation, but this is not just an abuse of power - it is the illegitimate exercise of authority it was never granted. Freedom of speech is a God-given right, not something bestowed by the government, and thus not theirs to take away. Misinformation, or the other ‘reasons’, are only excuses for silencing dissenting voices like political opponents and religious persons.
Lawfare - the abuse of legal systems to harass or intimidate opponents - has become a favored tactic of those in power. For example, conservative political figures and religious organizations have increasingly found themselves targeted by legal actions designed to bankrupt or discredit them. These actions are often framed as public service or fighting crime but, in reality, they serve to stifle opposition and consolidate government power. For lawfare details, click here.
The recent example of social media censorship highlights this trend. During the 2020 election cycle, social media platforms, perhaps under pressure from government entities, suppressed stories related to Hunter Biden’s laptop. This suppression was not just about controlling the narrative; it was about influencing the outcome of the election by limiting what information the public could access. This form of censorship, combined with lawfare tactics, creates an environment where only government-approved narratives can thrive, effectively erasing the voices of those who dissent on political or religious grounds. The reason the Founders included the ‘God-given freedoms’ was to keep government (the king) from having that power.
While the focus here is on free speech and religious freedom, it is important to understand that these issues are part of a broader pattern of government overreach that threatens all Constitutional rights. The same government that seeks to control speech and suppress religious expression is also encroaching on other freedoms, such as rule of law and the right to bodily autonomy. A Harris-Walz administration would be a nightmare for free speech.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought these issues to the forefront as governments around the world, including the U.S., imposed unprecedented restrictions on personal freedoms. Mandates on vaccines, lockdowns, and other public health measures were implemented with little regard for individual rights. These actions, often ‘justified’ by the purported need to protect public health, revealed a willingness to sacrifice Constitutional principles for the sake of government control.
Read The Empire Strikes Back: Welcome to America’s new privatized and weaponized system of justice for more details on Government overreach.
The erosion of Constitutional rights is not an isolated issue; it is part of a larger trend where the government increasingly sees itself as the arbiter of what is ‘best’ at the expense of individual liberties. The suppression of free speech and religious freedom is just one part of this broader assault on individual liberties and the rule of law.
The U.S. is one of many governments advancing internationalism.
While the phrase “clear and present danger” is often a hyperbole, the erosion of Constitutional rights truly is a clear and present danger to the American way of life. As government overreach continues to expand, the pillars of liberty that define our nation – especially free speech, religious liberty, bodily autonomy, and the rule of law - are at risk of being fundamentally altered or lost. It is imperative that Americans remain vigilant and take action to protect these rights.
The Constitution and the Bill of Rights were designed to limit government power and to protect individual freedoms. As these cornerstones of freedom come under increasing attack, it is the responsibility of every citizen to defend them. By staying informed, engaging in the political process, and speaking out against government overreach, we can preserve the God-given rights that have made America a beacon of hope for the world.
You can save America! In this critical moment, silence is not an option. The future of our Constitutional rights depends on our willingness to stand up and defend them against all threats, foreign and domestic.
God bless America.
Sources: Democracy and Speech, Judiciary Committee X Account, The Hill, Chronicles Magazine, Constitution Center, The Federalist.
“When exposing a crime is treated as a crime, you’re being ruled by criminals.”
-Edward Snowden
Abraham Lincoln: "America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Ronald Reagan: "The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave."
John F. Kennedy: "Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country."
Theodore Roosevelt: "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
Dwight D. Eisenhower: "A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
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Well written and so pertinent to our political cosmos of our time