Newt Gingrich, Enemy of Freedom

Following up his comments on how we need to rethink free speech, Gingrich has been making the rounds with to promote his totalitarian agenda.

Gingrich claims the threat of biological or nuclear attack requires America to consider limiting free speech to fight terrorists. It's justified, because we're protecting the society that makes the First Amendment possible. And he derides his critics as neglecting to mention the, "... very real threats that face Americans."

Like threats from Iranian President Ahmadinejad to kill Americans in large numbers if we don't submit to his demands. And, of course, The Many Web Sites Dedicated To Training And Recruiting Terrorists.

Take careful note of this ��the conservative fear brigade out to convince you that the internet is evil. (And who has been instrumental in pointing out the foibles of the current administration? Why, those pesky liberal bloggers. Yup, the internet is definitely evil. Those pipes lead straight to hell.)

As Voltaire observed, it is characteristic of the most stringent censorships that they give credibility to the opinions they attack. Suppress the speech of Islamic extremists, and they benefit. Their words become the Truth The Americans Don't Want You To Hear.

And I'd like to know how Newt plans to protect the innocent from screeds residing on a server somewhere in Iran. Block them? Good luck. Hackers have already released an algorithm that allows Google users to bypass China's restrictions on web content.

In his latest remarks, Gingrich suggests that the six imams who were barred from boarding a plane in Minneapolis should have been arrested and prosecuted for pretending to be terrorists.

And the crew should have been invited to the Reichstag, er, White House to be congratulated for being correct and protecting citizens.

Except they weren't correct, and there was no threat at all, nor any reason to believe that there was one, other than the wholly irrational fear of Middle Eastern men praying in an airport terminal. (As if actual terrorists are going to call attention to themselves by praying in public.)

"If you give me any signal in the age of terrorism that you're a terrorist, I'd say the burden of proof was on you," Gingrich explained.

Age of terrorism? Fuck me, we've gone from a War on Terror and the Calling Of Our Generation to the Age of Terrorism. Hide the children, Martha, and bar the door.

Unfortunately for Gingrich, burden of proof is upon the claimant. It's how our legal system works, and how the scientific method works. Even evangelical Christians touting Intelligent Design have their stack of evidence lined up.

Gingrich went on to wax poetical about science and a rosy future, including a cure for Alzheimer's.

As most of you are aware, my father suffers from Alzheimer's.

But if the cure were to come only with a subscription to Newt Gingrich's America, (Now With 0g of Free Speech!) it comes at too high a price.

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