Why Those on the Left Fear Free and Open Debate
The vehement reaction of NBC and MSNBC hosts to the hiring of Ronna McDaniel was a clear demonstration that they fear being challenged by someone who can articulate a view that is different from their own. Since they lack confidence in the power of their own arguments, they forcibly shut down all who carry opposing arguments and smear their views as lies and misinformation.
This sort of censorship is happening, not only at NBC and MSNBC, but throughout American society. On college and university campuses, conservative guest speakers who are invited by conservative student groups are regularly shouted down by left-wing students and faculty who fear arguments that differ from their own.
This should concern every freedom-loving American regardless of political affiliation. This is what happens in Marxist and Islamic regimes where views other than the ones of those in power are not tolerated. The histrionic reactions of Chuck Todd, Jen Psaki, Joy Reid and others to Ronna McDaniel show how far the left has departed from America’s founding principles of life and liberty.
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The First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of religion and freedom of speech, was formulated by individuals who did not fear opposing views. By guaranteeing religious freedom and speech, they created a free and open marketplace where ideas could be freely shared, debated and exchanged.
They could do this because they believed in the inherent power of truth. They believed that on an even playing field, truth would ultimately prevail. They agreed with John Milton, who wrote, “Let Truth and Falsehood grapple; who ever knew Truth put to the worse in a free and open encounter?” Thomas Jefferson echoed Milton when he wrote:
Truth can stand by itself. If there be but one right religion and Christianity that one, we should wish to see the nine hundred and ninety nine wandering sects gathered into the fold of truth. But against such a majority we cannot effect this by force. Reason and persuasion are the only practicable instruments. To make way for these, free inquiry must be indulged; and how can we wish others to indulge it while we refuse it ourselves? (Hyatt, “America’s Revival Heritage, Second Edition,” 98).
Here is the problem. Those on the ideological left have rejected the existence of any objective truth with inherent power. And since their belief system has no inherent power, and is often irrational and incoherent, the “free inquiry” advocated by Jefferson is not an option. Because they lack confidence in the power of their arguments, their only option is to impose their views by force. This is tyranny, and it is happening now in America.
There is hope, and it consists in a return to America’s founding principles of faith and freedom. America was molded and shaped out of the First Great Awakening as documented in my book, “America’s Revival Heritage, Second Edition” and she has been sustained by subsequent awakenings in her history.
Recovering our true heritage is critical if the America of our parents and grandparents is to be saved.{eoa}
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Dr. Eddie Hyatt has over 50 years of ministry experience as a revivalist, pastor and professor of theology. He is on a mission, along with many others, to “save America” by pointing the nation back to her founding principles and praying for another Great Awakening to sweep across the land. His numerous books are available from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com.
