I see a lot of "mainstream media" articles lately about President Trump threatening to revoke licenses of news outlets for supposedly publishing what he considers "fake news" - and about how bad his behavior is, that it is in violation of the 1st Amendment.
And - it is in violation of the 1st Amendment.
There is no question that the government may not quash the press simply for the publications critical of the government.
But, in this particular situation - where the "free press" is horrified of the President threatening the free press with adverse consequences for criticizing this particular President - who brought this on?
Really?
Let's recall how the same free press was bashing Donald Trump, at that point only a presidential candidate, and not a public official - for what, remember? - for criticizing a judge.
Whether Trump had good reasons to criticize that particular judge or not - I think, he did, see my blogs about it here and here if you are interested in the essence of that controversy - is not so relevant to the core question: did Trump have a 1st Amendment right to criticize the government?
Because - judiciary is part of the government, remember?
At that time, the "free press" raised a firestorm explaining why it was inappropriate for Trump to criticize a judge - because it was "racist" apparently to point out the judge's own background as having "Mexican heritage" (as I said in my blogs, Trump did not go far enough in his criticism, the judge not only had "Mexican heritage", but was also the so-called anchor child of illegal immigrant parents, which required his disqualification because he identified with the people, just like the judge's own parents, who Trump pledged to deport), and because the judge was "widely respected".
Well, the same "free press" now moderates comments on their articles in social media - and removes (censures) comments that are critical of the articles, see my blogs about it here and here.
But, the same media leaves in and does not moderate or censure out vile personal attacks making racist comments about the President's skin color, hair color, length of his sexual organ, his bedroom activities with his wife, claiming his wife is a porn star - and that's just the blandest descriptions of what is actually posted, and what the "free press" allows to be posted in comments, again, while erasing comments that are critical of the issues in articles and are actually relevant and on point.
If we distill the issue down to the very basics, we have the following question:
Does ANY individual in the United States have a right to criticize the government under the 1st Amendment?
The answer seems a no-brainer.
Of course, everybody has a right to criticize the government in the United States.
Yet, the free press appears to instill into the readers a double standard.
The "rule" of the "free press" since 2016 was that that "somebody" does not have a right to criticize the government if he is a private individual (even though a presidential candidate) who certain media sources do not like.
And, that "somebody" does not have a right to criticize the government if the public official criticize is a judge - because it somehow undermines public "trust" in the integrity of the judiciary.
In other works, do not criticize a particular judge for potential appearance of impropriety, bias or misconduct in order to help the judiciary as a branch of the government to save face in front of the public.
Well, the "free press" has itself to blame now, because President Trump appeared to have learnt the lesson - that in certain times censure of criticism of the government is good. That's what the press and comments told him in 2016. Shut your mouth, Donald Trump, and do not criticize a judge.
In other words, shut your mouth, a private individual, and do not criticize the government.
Isn't it what Trump is returning to the "free press" now - shut your mouth in your criticism of me, the public official, or I will yank your broadcasting license?
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