Trampling On Freedom Of Speech Is Now A Problem And A Scourge Infecting The West

Courtesy of Spain this time.

"When she posted jokes on Twitter about a 1973 assassination committed by Spain's Basque separatist group ETA, Cassandra Vera never for one moment thought they would land her a one-year jail sentence.

But last month, one of Spain's top criminal courts found the 21-year-old guilty of "justifying terrorism" and humiliating its victims - the latest in a series of such convictions for social media pranks that has the country divided, and partisans of free speech worried.

"They ruined my life," Vera tweeted about the 13 posts about the 1973 murder of Luis Carrero Blanco, the prime minister and heir-apparent of dictator Francisco Franco who was killed in an ETA bomb attack that sent his car hurtling into the air.

"ETA combined a policy against the use of official vehicles with a space programme," read one of her posts.

Another said: "Did Carrero Blanco also go back to the future with his car?" Vera is unlikely to spend time behind bars, as offenders of non-violent crimes with a sentence of under two years do not serve time in jail.

But she now has a criminal record that will prevent her from getting a scholarship for her studies."

Everytime I read something like this I realize just how close my blog can come to being hauled before a bunch of dumbass judges like this. It's enough to send a chill down my spine. They say 'when' 1984 sets in.

Kiddos, it's not a matter of 'when' anymore. It has arrived.

The last part in the last paragraph in the quote is critical. Does the comment rise to ruining a person's life? You've effectively removed from society a productive person who can contribute to your country. Instead, you created ill-will and probably a sense of inner-anger that is not helpful.

This is the unenlightened and plain old stupid position of censurers.

If you're a person who thinks along the lines of 'I believe in free speech but' you need to knock some sense into yourself and recalibrate your thinking. You don't believe in it and you tacitly accept such grotesque rulings by thinking this way.

Canada is on par with other Western countries when it comes to this barbarism. That is, it's not advanced but backward. For me, Canada is on the wrong side of the issue. You're pretty much a useless country if you can't defend the rights of man.

Make no mistake, the United States stands alone fighting for liberty. This is why the First Amendment must be guarded with the vigilant equivalence of one million people and soldiers protecting a kingdom.

*****

I completely agree with Jordan Peterson. A man who is literally alone fighting the anti-free speech virus spreading in academia. Freedom of expression and speech is the bedrock of our classical liberal heritage in the West. It's what made the West what it is. Fight for it.

Think you're protected in Canada? I suggest you pay closer attention. You're not and Ontario is leading the way in this travesty of a situation.