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Smearing Your Opponents Is No Way to Run a Republic
Daily Signal ^ | 9-12-22 | Lathan Watts

Posted on 09/13/2022 9:45:36 AM PDT by DeweyCA

Name-calling on the internet is nothing new. Enduring attacks based on biased or discredited sources is so common online it’s practically the price of admission for anyone seeking to contribute to the free market of ideas.

So trolls and hecklers are hard to avoid. But when reputable sources and institutions mimic their tactics, we have a problem.

That’s why, when a senior official in the Justice Department tosses about a smearing “hate group” label, all Americans should take notice—no matter their political leanings.

A Florida health official, Jason Weida, posted to LinkedIn: “Honored to speak with Matt Sharp at Alliance Defending Freedom about the work we’re doing in Florida to protect kids from experimental medical interventions and to defend parental rights, all thanks to the leadership of Governor [Ron] DeSantis.”

Citing no evidence, Eric P. Bruskin, assistant director of the commercial litigation branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, dramatically replied referring to Alliance Defending Freedom: “Jason, this is a hate group. You’re speaking at a conference for a hate group. Are these the beliefs you hold? If so, then it’s time we end our professional association.”

Alliance Defending Freedom is the world’s largest legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, the sanctity of life, parental rights, and God’s design for marriage and family.

ADF has successfully defended these fundamental rights for decades, racking up 14 wins at the U.S. Supreme Court and winning nearly 80% of its cases nationwide.

This apparently is what constitutes a “hate group” in today’s Justice Department.

Although Bruskin didn’t cite the Southern Poverty Law Center by name, there is little doubt about where his gross mischaracterization of ADF came from. No other group in America rivals the SPLC for publicly and recklessly slurring anyone or any organization that disagrees with its political views.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has been thoroughly discredited repeatedly, most notably by its own admitted institutional racism, sexual harassment, and discrimination. But officials at the Justice Department and other federal agencies appear to have bought SPLC’s lies and are using their power to advance a radical agenda that relies on those distortions.

In the past two years, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has supported investigations of parents who oppose radical gender and race theories in the classroom. And the Department of Agriculture has threatened to shut down a school lunch program for schools that did not fall in line with the Biden administration’s views on sexual orientation and gender identity.

President Joe Biden has tried to rewrite Title IX, defying the separation of powers, and called nearly half the nation a “threat to democracy”—just for holding different political views than his.

This looks like a government our Founders warned us about. Alliance Defending Freedom stands ready to protect the God-given rights of all Americans from the very government whose original purpose was to protect those rights. No amount of name-calling, deplatforming, or attempted canceling will dissuade those who cherish liberty from rising to its defense.

The smearing of opponents to silence dissent threatens to ruin our republican form of government. Americans must resist and expel this cancer if free thought, free speech, and a free society are to survive. What better place to start than the Department of Justice?

Lathan Watts is vice president of public affairs for Alliance Defending Freedom.

The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: adf; creepstate; deepstate; doj; policestate; singlepartystate; splc
The weaponization of the DOJ to such an extent that a representative would call the Alliance Defending Freedom organization a "hate group" is really beyond the pale and scary. This DOJ really does HATE conservative Christian groups.
1 posted on 09/13/2022 9:45:36 AM PDT by DeweyCA
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To: DeweyCA

Worked for Obama.


2 posted on 09/13/2022 9:46:48 AM PDT by CatOwner (Don't expect anyone, even conservatives, to have your back when the SHTF in 2021 and beyond.)
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To: DeweyCA

And to add to that, the SPLC is the hate group involved here.


3 posted on 09/13/2022 9:46:57 AM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: DeweyCA

This weaponization includes the FBI.


4 posted on 09/13/2022 9:47:44 AM PDT by Parley Baer (WI)
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To: DeweyCA
Couldn't agree more!

COMEY ROCKS OUT WITH HILLARY! Sure would hate it if this 2 minute video went VIRAL before the election!

https://www.bitchute.com/video/OaHWWgb437j8/

5 posted on 09/13/2022 9:50:28 AM PDT by Dick Bachert
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To: DeweyCA

When a guy like Biden is so exposed to the end results of
his actions, along comes an article like this to say that
it’s really bad for us to point out some bad things a
politician did.

I don’t care which side the article seeks too address, there
are some things that need to be discussed, and it’s not
going to take being kind and courteous to get to the bottom
of it.


6 posted on 09/13/2022 9:51:09 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (I pledge allegiance the flag of the U S of A, and to the REPUBLIC for which stands.)
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To: DeweyCA

The DOJ needs to get its ass out of politics. If they don’t, they have no credibility and are just another DNC hate group.


7 posted on 09/13/2022 9:52:24 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (I always thought a Merry Garland was a Christmas tree decoration.)
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To: DeweyCA

Strong stomachs will be needed as we work our way out of this mess.


8 posted on 09/13/2022 9:56:10 AM PDT by ComputerGuy (Heavily-medicated for your protectio)
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To: DeweyCA

Dems need to destroy others because their own side on all the issues is wrong except inside their own minds.

Old saying: There are two ways to have the tallest tree in the forest, grow your tree taller or cut down all the others so yours will become the tallest remaining.


9 posted on 09/13/2022 9:58:49 AM PDT by frank ballenger (You have summoned up a thundercloud. You're gonna hear from me. Anthem by Leonard Cohen)
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To: DeweyCA

If you’re not reading Victor Davis Hanson, you may be woke and don’t know it!
https://amgreatness.com/2022/09/07/the-world-wants-no-part-of-woke-but-its-glad-we-do/


10 posted on 09/13/2022 10:30:58 AM PDT by Dick Bachert
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To: DeweyCA

If you’re not reading Victor Davis Hanson, you may be woke and don’t know it!
https://amgreatness.com/2022/09/07/the-world-wants-no-part-of-woke-but-its-glad-we-do/


11 posted on 09/13/2022 10:31:45 AM PDT by Dick Bachert
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