Truth, facts, honesty, and ethics have been lost in far too much of American society

In Part 1, I discussed the high value the Founding Fathers placed on God and Judeo-Christian values as the foundation for the building of this new nation known as the United States of America. They valued this concept so much it was included as a critical element in the Declaration of Independence. In Part 2, I discussed the concerns the Founding Fathers feared concerning the conduct of people who came to power to run the government. In this part, we will examine how the Founding Fathers valued free speech.

In the Bill of Rights, the First Amendment identifies the protection of religion followed immediately by protection of the right of free speech. For decades the domestic enemies of the United States of America, the Marxists that had hidden out in the Democrat Party, have endeavored to limit free speech, that is to say speech they don’t agree with. As Rush Limbaugh gained in popularity and conservative talk radio gained in popularity, the Dimms and their minions tried to shut down all conservative radio after every effort to generate liberal talk radio failed miserably, over and over again. The American public just wasn’t buying what the Marxist liberals had to sell. Even when the Dimms had a majority in government, the Marxists could not undermine the conservative Rush revolution. The Founding Fathers valued free speech right after God and a religious moral and virtuous people.

The Need for Free Speech

"In a free and republican government, you cannot restrain the voice of the multitude." ~ George Washington "Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech; which is the right of every man as far as by it he does not hurt or control the right of another; and this is the only check it ought to suffer and the only bounds it ought to know.... Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freedom of speech, a thing terrible to traitors." ~ Benjamin Franklin

Free Speech and the Press

Interestingly, when the Founding Fathers spoke to the concept of free speech, their primary focus was concerning freedom of the press. In the beginning, the Founders were counting on and expecting the press to be an outside force to call out wrong doing of any or all of the three branches of the federal government and government at all levels. One of the few miscalculations of the Founding Fathers was that the press could become as dishonest as the people of power in the government. They viewed a free press as the source of truth and an agency that would expose wrong doing whenever they found it.

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“The only security of all is in a free press.” ~ Thomas Jefferson

“No government ought to be without censors, and, where the press is free, no one ever will.” ~ Thomas Jefferson

“The liberty of the press is essential to the security of the state.” ~ John Adams

“But none of the means of information are more sacred, or have been cherished with more tenderness and care by the settlers of America, than the press.” ~ John Adams

“The press, confined to truth, needs no other legal restraint; the public judgment will correct false reasonings and opinions, on a full hearing of all parties; and no other definite line can be drawn between the inestimable liberty of the press and its demoralizing licentiousness.” ~ Thomas Jefferson

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Support Canada Free Press

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“The liberty of the press consists, in my idea, in publishing the truth, from good motives and for justifiable ends, though it reflect on the government, on magistrates, or individuals. If it be not allowed, it excludes the privilege of canvassing men, and our rulers. It is in vain to say, you may canvass measures. This is impossible without the right of looking to men.” ~ Alexander Hamilton

“Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” ~ Thomas Jefferson

As high on the idea of a free press as the Founders were, they would be heartbroken to see how the modern press and media have turned into the fake news outlets they have become. They could not imagine the various media becoming the propaganda arm of one of the political parties, particularly a party that hates America and their so carefully crafted Constitution.

"A fondness for power is implanted in most men, and it is natural to abuse it when acquired." ~ Alexander Hamilton "The press is impotent when it abandons itself to falsehood." ~ Thomas Jefferson

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The following Founders words apply to the press and media as surely as they apply to politicians.

"Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder." ~ George Washington "One great error is that we suppose mankind more honest than they are." ~ Alexander Hamilton

The truth and facts matter. Too much of today’s American media have twisted their thinking process into believing that truth and facts are situational. That is not reporting news. That is making up fairy tales. The Founding Fathers expected a free press to be a strong positive resource for American citizens. Truth, facts, honesty, and ethics have been lost in far too much of American society; we see it, every day, in the face of the main stream media.