Disrespecting the First Amendment

Last Sunday, Mike Pence went to see the game between his hometown Indianapolis Colts and the San Francisco Forty-Niners. In terms of the post-season the game was all but meaningless, but the half time break was dedicated to honoring Peyton Manning. Presumably, former Indiana governor Pence was there to tip his own hat to the football legend. But when players from the Niners took a knee—which everyone knew was going to happen—Pence waited until the end of the National Anthem and then walked out. No other fan followed him. The Vice-President's limo was outside the gate waiting for him; the driver had been told this might be a short stop. This means that, in the middle of scandal and controversy over other cabinet members using private and government aircraft for personal reasons, Pence flew Air Force 2 on the public dime from Las Vegas to Indianapolis just to exercise his right to free speech. In the process he attacked that very right as exercised by others. It was a gesture, a stunt, a calculated move designed for effect. Trump and Pence continue to ratchet up the debate over “taking a knee.” Why? Because we are more likely to get excited about what happens at an NFL game than what Trump might be doing. It is classic misdirection. It distracts us from the Russian investigation into possible collusion and obstruction. It takes the spotlight off the small tweaks Trump is doing to undermine the Affordable Care Act. It hides Trump's terrible performance in providing needed leadership and aid to Puerto Rico. It obscures Trump's dangerous rhetoric about thermonuclear war. It deflects from the growing debate over Trump's very competency and just how dangerous he is to world peace. It also shifts the debate on race in America to a debate on respect. In true jingoistic rhetoric,Trump is pushing patriotism without clearly understanding what patriotism is. The flag is not America, but merely a symbol, The “Star Spangled Banner” is a difficult but beautiful song that also represents America, in particular, the America we wish America to be. Trump demands we stand for the anthem and salute the flag, as if both representations were America herself, and as if everyone MUST conform to a single meaning. But the flag does not mean the same to everyone. It represents an ideal, perhaps, to an immigrant, a work in progress to the descendant of a slave. It is the flag that flew over the camps liberated from Nazi barbarity in World War Two. It is also the flag that flew over the corpses at Wounded Knee. When someone takes a knee, he or she is saying, “Hey, we're not perfect. We've come a long way but your reaction shows that we still have a long way to go.” Attacking the gesture, Trump hopes to diminish it. What he is diminishing is the First Amendment itself, perhaps the most important 46 words ever penned and certainly the cornerstone of American democracy. Let us repeat the reason for the gesture: young Black men in America are more likely to be killed by police than young white men even when they are guilty of no crime or transgression. This is a fact. Look it up. Young Black males are more often stopped by police and harrassed without cause, because of their skin color. Although Colin Kaepernick was the first to offer this peaceful and respectful exercise of his First Amendment rights (he did not incite a riot or even turn his back on the flag), this right has come under attack by the President. Trump misses the point. He misses it on purpose. Rights mean nothing to him, nor do the people across this great nation who continually use free speech and peaceful assembly to be heard. Donald Trump disrespects the First Amendment. He disrespects the United States of America. One-third of the country stubbornly supports him. Most of this “base” seem to be white males reacting to the fear that their power is slipping away. Perhaps they are terrified of the possible repercussions to a group as cruel as they and their ancestors. But two-thirds do not. In a democracy, majority rules, if it does not, what do we have? Tyranny of the minority? Does that make Trump a tyrant? He seems to think it does. Just this morning I heard that he now wants to gag NBC News. The first sign of tyranny is making the Press the enemy. The second is limiting free speech.