912 Project

An editorial from Editor At Large, Mike Opelka

Another victim of the shootings in Arizona has been discovered.  Free Speech.  In less than a week we have seen an attack on our vital First Amendment unlike any in my lifetime.  I am terrified for our Republic.  It is being disassembled in front of us.

Some in Congress called for legislation to limit the political rhetoric.  In a country known for Free Speech, I respectfully ask these elected officials, “How do you do that?”

Other elected officials have again spoken up for the return of the ironically named “Fairness Doctrine.”

At the core of both of those actions is an attack on the largest and most important stone in the foundation of our Liberty, Free Speech. While I may not agree with your opinion, but I will defend your right to say it.  However, if Congress silences even one voice on radio, TV, online, or in print, then they have silenced all of our voices.

What should worry all of us is not just the potential loss of Free Speech, but that Congress is once again asking us to do something that they are not willing to do.

Congress is exempted from any attacks on their free speech.  Seriously, our elected officials are basically protected against any legal actions for whatever they say in the House and Senate.  It is in the Constitution.

The first clause of the sixth section of Article I of the Constitution provides: “The Senators and Representatives . . . shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either house, they shall not be questioned in any other place.”

This protection was given to Congress by the Founders, but there are more exemptions offered to the Political Class.  Oddly enough, they have granted these privileges to themselves, and only to themselves.

For the record, Congress is exempt from the recent Obamacare rules.  They have a healthcare plan that is so amazing, most of us would happily pay 5 times what they are charged for this amazing coverage.  If you don’t believe me, perhaps you will believe the journalists at CBS News.

Remember the recent rancor raised when the TSA started their very personal pat-downs at the airports?  There are myriad reports stating that elected officials are exempt from security screening and allowed to pass through the airports with ease.  Obviously anyone flying on a military plane is not a concern to me. The American armed forces are quite capable of handling their security, but anyone flying on a commercial plane should be subject to the same scrutiny as Joe Taxpayer.

So, Congress is exempt from prosecution of “heated rhetoric” – but they don’t want you to have that exemption.

Congress may be allowed to sidestep the invasive TSA screenings, but they don’t want you to have that option.

And Congress says that Obamacare is GREAT for you, but not for them or the many “friends” they have also granted exemptions.

Needless to say the Arizona massacre of last Saturday was a terrible tragedy. Six lives were taken, another sixteen innocent people were injured.  But almost immediately after the attack, operatives began lining up to twist and mold this event for their own benefit.  The extreme Left stepped up and started demonizing what they called “the heated rhetoric of the extreme Right.” Sarah Palin’s map with cross-hairs on it was brought up again.  Never mind that years earlier the Democratic Leadership Council published a similar map with targets on it…

Or that the Daily Kos had a blogger named BlueBoy referring to the now-wounded Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords saying “My CongressWoman voted against Nancy Pelosi and now she’s dead to me”  on it’s site just days before the shootings.

(This piece was removed shortly after the shooting in AZ.  Some say “scrubbed.”)

The alleged shooter is apparently not tied to any group, Right or Left.  And yet his bullets struck all sides of the American political discussion.  Sure, some of his college classmates have called him a Left-wing pot head, but where is the proof.  This morning on ABC TV it was reported that a high school friend of his said,  “He did not watch TV. He disliked the news. He didn’t listen to political radio. He didn’t take sides. He wasn’t on the left. He wasn’t on the right.”

All we really know about this madman is that he was not a tool of the Right or the Left, but his actions may take a serious toll on all of our lives.

We must all unite, mourn the dead, heal the victims and then protect our most precious Freedom Of Speech.

As my father has said for years, “Constitutionally, after the First, everything else is second.”

STATEMENT BY YVONNE DONNELLY
NATIONAL CHAIR OF THE PROJECT 9-12 ADVISORY BOARD

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of Judge John Roll, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and all of the victims of the senseless attack that took place in Tucson on Saturday,” said Yvonne Donnelly, national chair of The 9/12 Project Advisory Board.

“This horrific incident is a reminder that the most fundamental values of a free society are both precious and fragile. The acts of a lone and apparently  deranged individual have prompted calls for drastic changes in the way that citizens and their elected representatives conduct the dialog that is so essential to a free society. We must take reasonable and prudent steps that will ensure the safety of those who engage in this dialog, but we must do so in a manner that preserves and enhances the basic tenets of our free society.”

“Just as the brave individuals who tackled and restrained the Tucson gunman, and the Congresswoman’s aide who gave life-saving first aid until law enforcement and emergency personnel arrived, citizens should be prepared to help in emergencies as they are able.  Local 9/12 Project groups will continue to provide emergency preparedness training. In addition, the national Advisory Board is drafting more information on event safety awareness and preparedness for citizens, which will be posted on our website shortly at http://www.the912-project.com.”

Have you seen the new website for the 9/12 Project?

Please visit often and tell your friends.

The 912 Advisory Board

Our friends in Central Texas have also updated their website. We encourage you to visit them and share your thoughts. The National 912 site would also like to hear from any local groups about their projects and events.

AT&T is not endorsed by the 912 Project, we just appreciate their bringing attention to the obvious problem of texting and driving. Perhaps this is a New Years resolution we can all make and keep.

it’s only been on the web a few days, but has garnered over 6 million hits.

WE THE PEOPLE.

If you missed the Christopher Hitchens piece that attacked our humble movement, no worries, your Advisory Board caught it and has responded.

Here is one response from Editor-At-Large Mike Opelka