How easily the 1st Amendment can die

By Joseph Farah

As a former activist for extreme left-wing causes in my misguided youth, I seem to be uniquely positioned and trained to understand why and how America is being pushed off the proverbial cliff.

I know how the left works. I was a radical. I understand the terminology, the tactics, the nightmarish goals. I also understand the weakness in the opposition. Recently, that weakness was demonstrated and personified by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer in vetoing a bill that did nothing put reassert the First Amendment constitutional protections of freedom of religion.

Here’s the first problem: The left hates religion. It hates God. It doesn’t recognize any behavior as sinful, with the possible exception of voting Republican. To undermine all it hates, it pushes the political envelope. It divides people up into groups rather than recognizing all people as individuals made in the image of God. It then serves up special privileges for groups as a way of buying their votes.

Here’s the second problem: The left excoriates and vilifies its opponents when they take positions contrary to their own. They are labeled racists and homophobes and worse. Slowly but surely, they know some of their opponents will do almost anything to escape the ad hominem attacks and hateful labeling.

Here’s the third problem: Non-left politicians who should be counted on to do the right thing will cave on almost any issue under that kind of fire.

That’s what happened when Jan Brewer capitulated on the freedom of religion bill known as Senate Bill 1062, which offered clear protection for people who do not want to be coerced into actions or behavior that violates their moral and religious precepts.

If you doubt what I am saying, please take the time to read the bill. It will take you two minutes or less. It’s simple, straightforward and you may be shocked to learn that it never mentions homosexuality, same-sex marriage or any kind of discrimination against individuals or groups or people.

So why was the left so threatened by this bill?

For the same reason they detest the Constitution’s protections of religious freedom, press freedom and free speech.

They don’t believe in liberty!

That’s why the First Amendment is really in danger in America today. We could lose it very quickly. That’s why the Second Amendment is constantly threatened and under siege by the left. That’s why, ultimately, all of the freedoms we have known in the U.S. for 238 years could vanish overnight unless Americans awaken quickly and completely and stop sleepwalking through life.

Liberty is a scarce commodity in the world today. It is even scarcer when you examine the history of the world.

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America’s founders realized that and created a new nation guarded by a Constitution that strictly limited the power of government.

That creation is under assault like never before.

And the Arizona debate was a significant skirmish.

Why was it lost?

It was lost through disinformation and intimidation.

Jan Brewer surrendered to the lies, the insults and the deliberate distortions.

She should resign in disgrace.

But she is hardly alone.

She is symptomatic of the problem we face with too many Republican politicians.

They lack courage, principles and any sense of morality.

They are guided by their own personal interests. They are guided by their own comfort. They are guided by their own ambitions. They bend in the wind of controversy.

America never would have been founded if the leaders of the late 18th century were men and women like Jan Brewer.

Arizona’s S.B. 1062 was an important battle for the left.

They will be emboldened by it. They have been emboldened by it. I know how this world because I understand the left from the inside out.

The Constitution is on life support because there are so few men and women with courage, principle and a sense of right and wrong in politics today in the Republican Party, which, sadly, represents the only hope of reversing the statist, socialist, anti-American political onslaught.

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Joseph Farah

Joseph Farah is founder, editor and chief executive officer of WND. He is the author or co-author of 13 books that have sold more than 5 million copies, including his latest, "The Gospel in Every Book of the Old Testament." Before launching WND as the first independent online news outlet in 1997, he served as editor in chief of major market dailies including the legendary Sacramento Union. Read more of Joseph Farah's articles here.


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