Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Our world seems to be in a mess. And the mire seems to be getting stickier and stankier. I’m not just talking about election mayhem (too much out there on that right now.) But I look around and see discord, disharmony, and darkness.
But in all this, I see a blessing. I see … A Free Press.
Let me explain. You may be yelling ‘fake news’ or ‘social media bias.’ My sister in law just looks to be locked up in FaceBook jail … declaring her freedom and support for her candidate! Many will declare our press is a mess. And you may be right. But I am glad we live in a country where one can express their views, even if 90% of the country disagrees with you. Once it starts to restrict freedom of the press, it won’t stop. Once freedom to express is squashed, the machine to take away our freedoms will roll all over us.
What’s next? Squashing the Bible? Burning books? Governmental news only? Monitoring of the pulpit? This sounds like Present day China more than America.
Our Founding Fathers thought this was so important they put in the 1st Amendment. And they put it right with freedom of religion. Could they have seen the connection?
When I was in grad school, we learned and read scholars from all along the liberal-conservative perspective. Some people I knew said we should have only studied authors of a particular point of view. We should limit access to those on the other side. We should not even talk about ‘those people’ unless it was in derision and mockery.
But my grad school President said something that educational institutions and politicians and every day people need to hear … we teach all points of views, we read those who disagree with us, and we show how “those dogs don’t bite.” The bark is loud, but the lies and falsehoods will be revealed in the light of truth.
Let me share words of others …
Last thought … don’t like a particular press? You have the freedom to turn it off and go to another platform. That’s what freedom is all about. I’m glad we have it.
Muddy Shoes by Todd 
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