Can We Save Our First Amendment Freedoms?

            The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday is First Amendment freedoms. Some people believe that the Biden administration promotes censorship on information not approved by the Biden administration.

Republican Senator Josh Hawley recently criticized the Biden administration of censoring information on environmental issues by technology companies. In an appearance on “The Ingraham Angle” with host Laura Ingraham, Hawley said, “Laura, this is the most recent example of the most anti-First Amendment administration in American history.”

Hawley’s statement came in response to a clip played on the show of Gina McCarthy, White House National Climate Adviser, calling for tech companies to censor debate over environmental issues. According to Harold Hutchison, McCarthy said the following: 

The challenge is that now we’re moving from denial to actually just trying to disengage the public. We have to get tired, we have to get better at communicating, and frankly, the tech companies have to stop allowing specific individuals over and over again to spread disinformation.

            Hawley has a point. Tech companies have censored “specific individuals” because they were spreading “disinformation.” In 2021, YouTube said that videos had to align with “well-established scientific consensus around the existence and causes of climate change” to be monetized. YouTube was not alone in its censorship because Twitter and Facebook also censored individuals for so-called “misinformation” on environmental issues. Hawley continued with this explanation:

This is an administration assaulting our basic fundamental constitutional values and principles at every single turn. I can’t think of another administration in our history that has assembled an enemies list if you will and read it over and over from the White House podium and says, “We want these people off of social media, we want these people not to be able to communicate a message.”

            Hawley continued by giving examples. His list included “vaccines to combat COVID-19, mask mandates and environmental issues” to show the topics about which the Biden administration wants to suppressed debate.

            Hutchison reported that neither Hawley nor the White House did not respond to requests for comments. Nevertheless, Americans can plainly see that the Biden administration is coming for our First Amendment and Second Amendment rights.