Obama is a feel good ideologue who does not agree with Jefferson on the issue of free political speech.

A picture is worth a thousand words, or so they say. Look at this picture. The dirty little secret about Mr. Obama, is that he is an angry middle aged black man with a good personality unless he is angry, a knack for putting his ideas into series of quotable quotes.

Editor's notes: here is as disturbing view of an American leader caught up with a strange sense of self-importance, angry with the white man's world, convinced that the only just response to the mistreatment of the "poor" in general and the black man in particular is some level of reparations, whether that be accomplished in a society-wide realignment of wealth and/or an overt legislative move for reparations to the black community.

Obama says this : "What Jefferson recognized... that in the long run, their improbable experiment -- called America -- wouldn't work if its citizens were uninformed, if its citizens were apathetic, if its citizens checked out, and left democracy to those who didn't have the best interests of all the people at heart.

The point of what follows is found in the contrast between the words of Obama and the thinking of Thomas Jefferson as both men speak to "freedom of political speech."

First, Mr. Obama. Before you read the following, words taken from a commencement speech this past weekend at Hamilton University, understand that Obama supports the "fairness doctrine" (an effort to silence conservative talk on the airwaves), secret ballot voting in union elections, the use of FCC regulations to circumvent Congress in dealing with conservative and "disruptive" political opinion , the bailout of certain [liberal] news print publications, and the silencing of corporate political speech. You will not find Obama referencing an activist response to his rhetorical positions, so we mention that activism before you read.

The headline reads:

Obama bemoans 'diversions' of IPod, Xbox era

And the story, in part, has this to say about a thin-skinned Black Liberationist raised in the political slums Chicago, fed 20 years worth of horror stories and black anger at his church, of all places, speaking to graduating class of primarily black students who gave Obama a robust welcome as he stepped up to the podium.

(AFP)

Note: the following is quoted from the hyperlinked reference immediately above whether in red or black lettering (the red highlights are ours).

HAMPTON, Virginia — US President Barack Obama lamented Sunday that in the iPad and Xbox era, information had become a diversion that was imposing new strains on democracy, in his latest critique of modern media. Obama, who often chides journalists and cable news outlets for obsessing with political horse race coverage rather than serious issues, told a class of graduating university students that education was the key to progress.

"You're coming of age in a 24/7 media environment that bombards us with all kinds of content and exposes us to all kinds of arguments, some of which don't always rank all that high on the truth meter," Obama said at Hampton University, Virginia. "With iPods and iPads and Xboxes and PlayStations, -- none of which I know how to work -- information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation," Obama said. He bemoaned the fact that "some of the craziest claims can quickly claim traction," in the clamor of certain blogs and talk radio outlets.

"All of this is not only putting new pressures on you, it is putting new pressures on our country and on our democracy."

Obama, who uses the handful of Commencement addresses that he delivers each year to meditate on societal developments broader than the minutiae of everyday politics, warned the world was at a moment of "breathtaking change." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Obama argued that from the days of the pioneer politicians who founded the United States, until the modern day, education and knowledge had been the key to progress and US democracy.

He drew a line between Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and today's challenges."What Jefferson recognized... that in the long run, their improbable experiment -- called America -- wouldn't work if its citizens were uninformed, if its citizens were apathetic, if its citizens checked out, and left democracy to those who didn't have the best interests of all the people at heart.

"It could only work if each of us stayed informed and engaged, if we held our government accountable, if we fulfilled the obligations of citizenship." end of quoted text.

Now, we have an encounter between a German scientist visiting America and President Thomas Jefferson. The comparative contrast is more than obvious:

Alexander von Humboldt (seeing a newspaper containing slanderous falsehoods against Jefferson on the President's desk) : Why do you not have the fellow hung who dares to write these abominable lies?

Jefferson : What! hang the guardians of the public morals? No, sir, — rather would I protect the spirit of freedom which dictates even that degree of abuse. Put that paper into your pocket, my good friend, carry it with you to Europe, and when you hear any one doubt the reality of American freedom, show them that paper, and tell them where you found it.

Humboldt : But is it not shocking that virtuous characters should be defamed?

Jefferson : Let their actions refute such libels. Believe me, virtue is not long darkened by the clouds of calumny; and the temporary pain which it causes is infinitely overweighed by the safety it insures against degeneracy in the principles and conduct of public functionaries. When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property.

Conversation with Alexander von Humboldt (June 1804) reported in B.L. Rayner, Life of Jefferson (1834), p. 356. The exact date is not known, but the conversation took place in one of several meetings with the President during Humboldt's visit to Washington, D.C., from June 1 to June 27, 1804.

In addition to the above, Jefferson made this statement as regards the limiting of political free speech: . . . . . . freedom of speech ‘cannot be limited without being lost.’ Source: Thomas Jefferson Center

Conclusion: the disagreement between the Marxist oriented Obama and the freedom radical, Thomas Jefferson, is found in the contrast between each man's concept of "disagreeable political speech." Jefferson did not care if such speech was "true" or not. Regardless, it was PROTECTED speech under the First Amendment which he authored.

Obama labels opposition speech as "lies" (his word, not ours ), deems such lies a threat to "democracy (see his Hamilton speech as quoted above), and feels entitled as he moves to silence that opposition. His view is out of line with the very Constitution he has sworn to uphold and support. It is most interesting to note that disruptive political speech is viewed by Obama as that which is " . . . . . putting new pressures on our country and on our democracy" (a bad thing) rather than being a manifestation of a strong, free, and vibrant democracy (a very good thing, if freedom is the prevailing concern). We leave the lesson to you -- jds.
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