Crossing The Line

Free AI web copilot to create summaries, insights and extended knowledge, download it at here

1649

Abstract

s become targets.</p></blockquote><p id="9b6b">The board characterized the protest as akin to “[p]rotests that blur the boundaries between free expression and mob rule….”</p><p id="4277">The board’s cavalier characterization of an admittedly lawful exercise of a sacred American right apparently near Kavanaugh’s home as akin to an action that targeted Kavanaugh’s family, home, and private life and blurred the boundaries between free speech and mob rule is disingenuous in the extreme.</p><p id="906d">Seeking to impose standards of societal acceptability on the lawful exercise of the sacred American right to protest the official actions of public figures, the board attempts to constrain the free expression of political speech with an unconstitutional girdle of harmoniousness. Political protests are meant to be disharmonious and unseemly. That they should offend the delicate sensibilities of archly conservative editorial boards is precisely the objective.</p><p id="69d6">Justice Kavanaugh can scarcely complain that, having publicly taken a stand on such an emotionally and politically charged issue as abortion rights, he is the object of lawful political protests wherever he can be found. Indeed, Kavanaugh seems not to have voiced an objection to the protest or the protestors’ choice of venue, the Post’s editorial board’s duplicitous declamation to the contrary not withstanding.</p><h1 id="1f99">More From</h1><figure id="41bd"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*wgZzR2YVcfLwewvlgxGjDw.jpeg"><figcaption><a href="https://stevealexander-48.medium.com/"><b>The Wordsmith™</b>🏳️‍🌈🇺🇸</a> — Existentia

Options

list Extraordinaire | quote on the scroll from Robert Frost | author’s registered trademark</figcaption></figure><div id="eab4" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/can-we-find-common-ground-on-gay-rights-and-religious-liberty-b8d83fde3b7"> <div> <div> <h2>Can we find common ground on gay rights and religious liberty?</h2> <div><h3>No common ground between LGBT+ civil rights and religious liberty. Tolerance vs. intolerance. Inclusive vs. exclusive…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*EreThxfsOeYZwRH8UxKGjw.png)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="0bb6" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/justices-thomas-and-alito-war-on-marriage-equality-with-intellectual-dishonesty-and-lax-analysis-f3fd3916df39"> <div> <div> <h2>Justices Thomas and Alito War on Marriage Equality with Intellectual Dishonesty and Lax Analysis</h2> <div><h3>When Justices Thomas and Alito are joined by Barrett, constitutionally protected marriage equality for LGBT people will…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*JVCLAI7mB6_UE4hKbc-38w.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Constraining lawful free political speech with a girdle of seemliness

In an opinion piece titled Opinion: The Abortion Rights Protest at Justice Kavanaugh’s Home Crossed the Line by the Washington Post’s editorial board published on Wednesday, September 15th 2021, the board voiced it’s objection to the protestors’ unseemly behavior. They carried signs and chanted phrases supporting abortion rights and calling for Kavanaugh’s resignation.

“No laws were broken, and the right to protest is sacred in this country,” noted the board.

Nevertheless, the board opined that the protestors conduct “at” Kavanaugh’s home was not “acceptable.” Nevermind that the caption to the accompanying photograph states that the protest was “near” Kavanaugh’s house.

The board further opined that the demonstration “outside” Kavanaugh’s home

is the latest in a dismaying trend in which the homes, families and private lives of politicians and other public figures become targets.

The board characterized the protest as akin to “[p]rotests that blur the boundaries between free expression and mob rule….”

The board’s cavalier characterization of an admittedly lawful exercise of a sacred American right apparently near Kavanaugh’s home as akin to an action that targeted Kavanaugh’s family, home, and private life and blurred the boundaries between free speech and mob rule is disingenuous in the extreme.

Seeking to impose standards of societal acceptability on the lawful exercise of the sacred American right to protest the official actions of public figures, the board attempts to constrain the free expression of political speech with an unconstitutional girdle of harmoniousness. Political protests are meant to be disharmonious and unseemly. That they should offend the delicate sensibilities of archly conservative editorial boards is precisely the objective.

Justice Kavanaugh can scarcely complain that, having publicly taken a stand on such an emotionally and politically charged issue as abortion rights, he is the object of lawful political protests wherever he can be found. Indeed, Kavanaugh seems not to have voiced an objection to the protest or the protestors’ choice of venue, the Post’s editorial board’s duplicitous declamation to the contrary not withstanding.