Did Pete Santilli Have It Coming?
by Shari Dovale
First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Pete Santilli, Internet Shock-Jock and Radio Host, is sitting in a jail cell for exercising his First Amendment Rights.
For everyone that thinks differently, let me ask you this…
What do you think of CNN? Their news anchor Fredricka Whitfield offered words of praise for the driver of an armored van who opened fire on the Dallas police department’s headquarters, calling it courageous and brave. Is that covered by the first amendment? Does that make them more credible in your eyes?
How about MSNBC? Host Melissa Harris Perry wore tampon earrings on the air to protest the ban on her right to kill babies late in pregnancy. Does this make her a model first amendment advocate? Does it give her any credibility at all?
And then there’s Megyn Kelly of FOX News, who has been completely unprofessional in her War on Trump. Does that make her worthy of protection by your Constitution?
I am sure that Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow are turning in their graves to see what has become of journalism. It is on both sides of the fence, the Main Stream Media (MSM) and Alternative News.
Regardless, they all deserve the protection of the First Amendment. If they are reporting events, or even commenting on them. If they are photographing or video recording. If they are informing the public on a website, in a print media, or even on Facebook, they all deserve the protection of the First Amendment.
That is what it is there for.
It does not matter if the reporter is a member of Oath Keepers, or the Girl Scouts, or Hillary’s Campaign team, or the KKK. Everyone in this country has the right to express their views under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
It is not up to the government to decide who is more credible than the next. It is not up to the government to decide what organizations are allowed their voice and who is not. It is not up to the government to designate “Free Speech Zones.”
And Pete Santilli should not be in jail.
Like him or hate him, I really don’t care. That is not pertinent to this discussion. The only issue is: Did he have the right to report the situation in Oregon under the First Amendment? YES!
The government has declared war on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They have stripped you of your civil rights, as much as they stripped Pete of his First Amendment rights. If they can do it to one person, they can do it to all of us.
It is time to rein it in, and put a halt to government over reach.
FREE PETE SANTILLI