The Tebows and the freedom of speech

Left groups are freaking out over CBS’s decision to air an ad paid for by the group Focus on the Family featuring former Florida Gator quarterback Tim Tebow and his mother during the Super Bowl. The ad features Tebow’s mom talking about how she chose to have Tebow instead of aborting him when she became ill during her pregnancy. According to various media reports, both CBS and Focus on the Family contend that the ad does not advocate a political position, but instead is a statement about Tebow’s mother’s choice.

That seems simple enough. After all the leftists who argue for abortion rights call themselves “pro choice.” One would think that they would be respectful of a woman who made her choice explaining why she did. That is assuming that the left groups use logic.

The left does not use logic when it comes to such things. They contend they are for freedom of speech, but they act as if that freedom is only valid if it is used to agree with their point of view. They contend to be for a woman’s right to choose, but when a woman talks about choosing to not get an abortion, they call her insensitive and all sorts of names. Indeed, it is typical of most leftists groups to attack anyone who disagrees with their point of view as “bigoted,” “homophobic,” or the like. After the name calling, the left tries to silence any contrary point of view with threats of destroying their opponents businesses and reputations.

Thus, the left wingers’ idea of freedom is pretty clear. You have the freedom to agree with them. They have the freedom to ruin your life and silence you if you do not agree with the left agenda.

If you doubt that, just look at the shrill remarks and name calling from groups like the Women’s Media Center and the National Organization of Women over the Tebow ad. It is an ad no one outside the production people and CBS has seen. Yet, because it is paid for by a group that is reviled, for gulp, talking about families, threats and melodramatically worded press releases are produced.

Regardless of where one stands on the issue of abortion, the efforts by fringe groups to silence the voice of a woman who explains her choice should be appalling to anyone with a sense of what freedom of speech is all about. You might think that the people on the other side of an issue are stupid and crazy. You could be right in your assessment. But, when you act to silence someone through melodrama and economic threats, eventually someone will appear on the scene that will do the same to you. That is the beauty of the freedom of speech. When all are allowed to buy their time and speak their minds, the people choose in the marketplace of ideas. Those who attempt to silence others in that marketplace of ideas are typically bankrupt of ideas themselves.

Indeed, the American ideal of open and honest debate of issues, with respect for those who disagree with us, is slipping away. Be it groups on the right or left, or factions in a county government, too often people turn to litigation, name calling, and harassment to silence voices of opposition. Even when such people couch themselves in American sounding names or claim to champion the people, their actions are as un- American as the long list of despots whose desire to silence opposition typically ended upon the trash heap of history.