The U.S. Government Cannot Control Ideas
“Government shall not attempt to control the ideas a man has. . . . It shall let anybody talk in this country.” Former Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black
by Stephanie C.: Recently, I read a story about a doctor in the U.K. who was fired for continuing to use pronouns that identified a person’s biological sex, instead of their “chosen” sex. So, even though Dr. Mackareth might be treating a man (who said he was a transgender woman), he would still refer to the individual as “he” or “him.” After 26 years of treating people, Dr. Mackareth was no longer free to speak the truth because that truth is in opposition to the transgender agenda, which has become the state agenda in the U.K.
Here in the U.S., his story is becoming all too familiar. Teachers are also being fired for not using a student’s “preferred gender pronoun.”
In Indiana and Texas, teachers have been forced out of their positions for continuing to use correct gender pronouns and names to refer to students. Schools cite this “improper” use of language as “harassment” and in violation of school policies to use “preferred gender pronouns.” For these teachers, using a pronoun like “her” to refer to a boy was wrong –biologically, linguistically, and quite literally.
The Christian Civic League of Maine and New Yorker’s Family Research Foundation (our state allies) have worked hard over the past year to fight new school policies that seek to control the ideas teachers and students have about gender by requiring teachers and students to use cross-gender pronouns and names. Teachers and students face termination, expulsion, and suspension if they do not conform their speech to promote the school’s radical agenda—an agenda that denies the biological reality of sex and imposes the idea that sex is changeable.
Teachers and students are also subject to school “sensitivity training” if they use language to express the view that sex is biological. Teachers and students should never be forced to attend government training of an ideology or political perspective. This is yet another way the government is attempting to control the ideas that teachers and students have about sex and gender. This is a gross infringement upon our right to ideas and, by extension, our right to free speech.
Our nation was founded upon inalienable rights. Rights that cannot be taken away or removed or reduced. One of those inalienable rights is Liberty. From this right of liberty, flows the absolute right to our ideas and to share our ideas. We share our ideas through speech. Which brings us to our nation’s strongest free speech protections in the world.
Our own Supreme Court recently warned about the dangers of our state government “suppressing unpopular ideas or information” for no legitimate government purpose. In a recent Supreme Court Case, Justice Thomas wrote:
“The best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market. . . and the people lose when the government is the one deciding which ideas should prevail.”
There is a reason America has been a symbol of light and hope to much of the world. We fiercely protect our liberty and have a unique system of checks and balances to limit the power of our government. But that system requires our constant participation, and our freedoms require our constant protection.
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Stephanie C., Esq., is a policy manager at Family Policy Alliance.
Tags: U.S. Government, Ideas, Stephanie C., Family Policy Alliance To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
Here in the U.S., his story is becoming all too familiar. Teachers are also being fired for not using a student’s “preferred gender pronoun.”
In Indiana and Texas, teachers have been forced out of their positions for continuing to use correct gender pronouns and names to refer to students. Schools cite this “improper” use of language as “harassment” and in violation of school policies to use “preferred gender pronouns.” For these teachers, using a pronoun like “her” to refer to a boy was wrong –biologically, linguistically, and quite literally.
The Christian Civic League of Maine and New Yorker’s Family Research Foundation (our state allies) have worked hard over the past year to fight new school policies that seek to control the ideas teachers and students have about gender by requiring teachers and students to use cross-gender pronouns and names. Teachers and students face termination, expulsion, and suspension if they do not conform their speech to promote the school’s radical agenda—an agenda that denies the biological reality of sex and imposes the idea that sex is changeable.
Teachers and students are also subject to school “sensitivity training” if they use language to express the view that sex is biological. Teachers and students should never be forced to attend government training of an ideology or political perspective. This is yet another way the government is attempting to control the ideas that teachers and students have about sex and gender. This is a gross infringement upon our right to ideas and, by extension, our right to free speech.
Our nation was founded upon inalienable rights. Rights that cannot be taken away or removed or reduced. One of those inalienable rights is Liberty. From this right of liberty, flows the absolute right to our ideas and to share our ideas. We share our ideas through speech. Which brings us to our nation’s strongest free speech protections in the world.
Our own Supreme Court recently warned about the dangers of our state government “suppressing unpopular ideas or information” for no legitimate government purpose. In a recent Supreme Court Case, Justice Thomas wrote:
“The best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market. . . and the people lose when the government is the one deciding which ideas should prevail.”
There is a reason America has been a symbol of light and hope to much of the world. We fiercely protect our liberty and have a unique system of checks and balances to limit the power of our government. But that system requires our constant participation, and our freedoms require our constant protection.
--------------
Stephanie C., Esq., is a policy manager at Family Policy Alliance.
Tags: U.S. Government, Ideas, Stephanie C., Family Policy Alliance To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
Posted by Bill Smith at 8:30 AM - Post Link
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