Posted on 02/09/2016 8:03:23 AM PST by Kaslin
That Donald Trump, in his quest to lead us back to national greatness, feels free to brag, distort, lampoon, defame and empty his personal trash on every political doorstep is one sign -- but hardly the only one -- of a few changes in America's moral makeup over the past half century.
There's also the current dust-up in Dallas, Texas, over the city's alleged inability to block a "sex expo" in the local convention center. The mayor wants to bar the door to "Exxxotica," as the convention calls itself. Various local groups second the motion. "Can't do it," wail officials of the convention center. "That would be to Restrict Free Speech in Defiance of Our Precious First Amendment! And get us sued in the process."
See what I mean? We're engaged, all around, in prying from our windpipes the dead hands of the Founding Fathers. Get those guys out of here! They're dead!
I expect Trump, from the rear of his medicine show wagon, would voice hearty approval of that viewpoint. These days we say what we want to -- never mind the forgotten obligations of citizenship, civility and morality.
The Dallas dust-up is evidence of what happens when civic ideals collapse. Anything goes, like a porn exhibition in a convention center.
The idea that society can't police itself -- can't enforce standards regarded as both right and useful -- is nonsensical, a cover for weakness, a balm for the economic itch. A Dallas city councilman, noting the city's efforts to keep the convention hall full, suggests, "If we're going to compete with Vegas, we have to be prepared to get a little Vegas on us." Wow! Wouldn't the author of The Federalist Papers like to hear that one? Very, very Trumpian.
Can't ban a porn expo from the convention center? What's the meaning of that logical and moral absurdity? Not long ago, no such expo would have come a-knocking at the convention center door. The First Amendment to the Constitution and its guarantee of free speech acknowledged limits to the right to degrade.
In Roth vs. United States, handed down in 1957, in the mistily remembered days of Ike Eisenhower and Betty Furness, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that "implicit in the history of the First Amendment is the rejection of obscenity as utterly without redeeming social importance." "We hold," said the justices, "that obscenity is not within the area of constitutionally protected speech or press."
After 15 years or so, the cultural upheavals of the 1960s changed the Court's mind -- and the minds of many ordinary Americans who welcomed official permission to burn U.S. flags, divest clothing in public and do other things formerly forbidden in Uptight America, all in the name of free speech.
The meaning of civilized discourse, as contemplated by the Founding Fathers, disappeared from view. Public argumentation wasn't about persuasion, for heaven's sake. It was about the making of personal statements in any manner one might contrive. What that came down to, of course, was the idea (if you could call it an idea and not an unseemly itch) of coercing agreement through intimidation and embarrassment.
Persuasion, you see, took so long! Minds needed changing, in the interest of Progress. Don't spend valuable time on minds. Spend it on others' fears and emotions. Raise hell! Scare, shock, scandalize, outrage!
So what if the founders hadn't contemplated intimidation as an instrument for the cultivation of virtue? Bunch of guys in powdered wigs -- what did they know? As for you, sublimely alive, sublimely right as to instincts and purposes, why shouldn't the courts let you show those old fuddies what was what? Those sorts of fuddies fail to see civic purpose in a porno show, and they fear lawsuits and court costs and embarrassment -- precisely as contemplated by the engineers of the cultural revolution intended from the start to get moralists out of the way.
Enter Donald John Trump, metaphorical middle finger extended.
Waaaa! teacher she made fun of me. Waaaaa!
Nah, I don’t do too much laughing when the future of my country is at stake.
No FR is a conservative political discussion arena. Its not church. If non PC discussion upsets you well prepare for constant disappointment on FR. :-)
The discussion was about public discourse during a presidential campaign, with some people taking offense at the language, while others see the terms being used as entirely appropriate considering the anti-American attitudes of the self-anointed elitists.
People who have been adversely affected by the illegitimate globalist movement are rightly upset.
It's not just Trump.
I know I have become noticeably coarsened by the snarking, stick-in-the-eye style of writing/thinking that has become so prevalent everywhere online, including this very neighborhood. I haven't dared to invite any of my family or church friends to join in the Free Republic community in years, because I was ashamed of so much of what they'd see. I wish I could go through all my old posts and delete the stuff that won't stand scrutiny on the Last Day.
It's the whole wet-rot of a sick, mocking, and disintegrating culture.
/jeremiad/mode/off
Thanks for your conscience-piercing thoughts.
I never said anything about church or PC...making ignorant statements about me in response to my post only demonstrates the absurd levels some will stoop to in order to defend themselves instead of dropping the issue and only slightly modifying their behavior in a public setting. In other words, you’re resorting to ad hominem attacks, an Alinskyite tactic.
You would do well to educate yourself as to founder’s premise. He has stated numerous times that this is a family forum, thus the admins making it a point to delete offensive material quite regularly and quite rapidly.
Simply because one can and is used to using vulgar language in a public setting, doesn’t grant one a license to continue it in other settings or when others object. It demonstrates a lack of decorum, decency and good sense.
But I guess for me and others, if using such language doesn’t bring any value or otherwise help to define context, why use it? Is it to sound cool and hang with the cool kids while calling those who object names?
I suspect that instead of accepting that there are times to exercise restraint and accept responsibility for one’s language and actions, you’ll posit some other “reason” as to why we’re “nancy boy”, “church ladies” or some other nonsensical reason.
Waaaa! Teacher she won’t agree with me. Waaaaa!
Please. Stop. I’m embarrassed for you.
And then maybe 4 years more after the election, with an option for 4 after that.
Very well said.
One of the worst things the Republican party ever did was to mold itself to fit the narrow requirements of the church marm crowd.
The church crowd is an important constituency for votes. But for votes ONLY.
American churches have very clearly demonstrated that they are completely incapable in fighting the culture war.
I don't even think they're interested in fighting against Liberalism.
And then maybe 4 years more after the election, with an option for 4 after that.
Very well said.
One of the worst things the Republican party ever did was to mold itself to fit the narrow requirements of the church marm crowd.
The church crowd is an important constituency for votes. But for votes ONLY.
American churches have very clearly demonstrated that they are completely incapable in fighting the culture war.
I don't even think they're interested in fighting against Liberalism.
Well said.
The time for being nice is OVER.
The church clowns just don't get it. They live in a bubble.
The think we'll win by being nicer than the Liberals.
I can imagine that after the 2012 campaign they all thought,
"I guess Romney just wasn't nice enough. We'll have to be even nicer and more polite, and ever MORE prim and proper in 2016."
I've been here sine 1997.
This has never been a "Family" site.
Hey have you heard? They called NH for Trump. Yer boy Cruz is praying for 4th. What a puss. :-)
"Waaaa! Teacher she won’t agree with me. Waaaaa"
You simply aren't making any sense. No, don't bother answering. We're through.
Did you hear Trump won NH? It was yuge! :-)
So you say...the proof is clear, otherwise nudity, cursing and other “adult” oriented posts would still be around, wouldn’t they?
"...or any other materials offensive or otherwise inappropriate for a conservative family audience."
:-)
One need not even read to the end of the first sentence.
It’s dreck.
L
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