Support for free speech is found in odd places and more strangely missed in even odder ones

Fascinating.

Leave aside whatever views you have of MTG. Just put them in a corner for a second. OK, have we done that?

Now: think about the indisputable fact that not AOC, Bernie or a single Squad member could or would say most of what is in this thread, let alone in this tone, and ask why: https://t.co/ZuekWvA3Fw

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) June 18, 2022

Marjorie Taylor Greene is a US Congresswoman from Georgia reviled and loathed by Democrats.  The mainstream media routinely publicize outlandish claims and statements by and about her.  She is routinely called a fascist and likened to Hitler.  They really and passionately hate her as evil incarnate.

She's not my district so I have never followed up on it.  I have the impression that all her opinions are ardently held and that some of them are perhaps outlandish.

On the other hand, as Greenwald is pointing out, MTG is passionately defending the fundamental Constitutional right to freedom of speech.  And most of the Democratic party is not; and indeed are actively working to throttle free speech (see the Truth Commission which remains alive and kicking.)

There is actually a deeper, and interesting, issue here.  Both the establishment parties are wobbly-kneed about free speech, though the Democrats are far worse than the Republicans.

As Greenwald is arguing, the far left, the progressive wing of the Democratic party, are resolutely opposed to free speech.  They are statist authoritarians and they do not want uncontrolled free speech going on.  Social Justice warriors, Critical Race Theorists, and the like are all resolutely antipathetic to free speech.

Even the old but diminishing more centrist portion of the party is relatively weak on speech.  They'll say they support it but when it comes to defending academic freedom they are weak reeds to lean on and they go along with all the twitter mobs, de-platforming and cancellations so prevalent among the Woke.  

Among Republicans, there are some interesting contrasts.  Law and Order type conservatives can look at the Assange situation and simply ignore the free speech aspect.  He broke the law, therefore he must be punished.  Strong Defense conservatives are also more squishy about free speech if there is a national defense aspect involved.  

Constitutionalists are of course ardent supporters of free speech, as are Libertarians, as are small government conservatives.  

In general though, Republicans are more diversely and more robustly supportive of free speech than are Democrats.  Much more so.  

Which is disturbing.  We need strong competing political parties and they both need to uphold American civic rights and constitutional freedoms such as freedom of speech.  The establishment parties are much more statist than are Americans and the disconnect between the Americans and the two establishment parties is troubling.  The parties need to recalibrate to original principles which are still held dearly by most Americans.