Let's get one thing out of the way right now, even though at this point it really shouldn't have to be said: Nazism was reprehensible and everything it represented was reprehensible. The exact same thing goes for neo-Nazism. If you see someone proudly waving a Nazi flag, it's completely normal and moral to be overwhelmed by feelings of disgust and revulsion and even fear.
All that said, if you see someone proudly waving a Nazi flag in Georgia, your first thought should not be: "Hey, you know what would stop freaks from waving Nazi flags around? Being more like Germany." But that was the first thought of Minnesota Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips:
Punishable by three years in prison in Germany. But this is Georgia. pic.twitter.com/sgWhoPqezz
— Rep. Dean Phillips 🇺🇸 (@RepDeanPhillips) June 25, 2023
It's great that Germany is still so committed to rejecting Nazism nearly 80 years after World War II ended. But should people with Nazi flags really get prison time in this country just for having Nazi flags? Doesn't that kind of violate some kind of constitutional amendment? Like the very first one?
Of course they have the right to promote the symbol of the regime that killed their American grandfathers along with 15 million other innocent human beings. No one is arguing that.
— Rep. Dean Phillips 🇺🇸 (@RepDeanPhillips) June 25, 2023
Except it sure as heck sounded like that was exactly the argument Phillips was making. That tweet was just him trying to backpedal after being called out by people who, unlike him, didn't forget that the First Amendment protects even Nazi-loving, Holocaust-denying cretins. Today, Phillips is actually still taking the beating that began shortly after his initial scorching-hot take.
Here's just a small sample of the tweets setting him straight:
Are you trying to flex on Germany for not having freedom of speech?
— charmane harbert ✝️ 🇺🇸 (@callme_Chari) June 25, 2023
That's because unlike the Germans, Americans (for now) have freedom of speech.
— Sean K. Davis (@Sean_K_Davis) June 26, 2023
Yeah, sure glad to be in America where people can say awful things and not get thrown in jail for it.
— Enguerrand VII de Coucy (@ingelramdecoucy) June 25, 2023
You sure didn’t learn much from your history books other than “Nazi Bad” if you don’t see the problem in jailing people for speech you don’t like
Do you think implementing similar laws in America would decrease or *incrase* antisemitic sentiment? Serious question.
— Viva Frei (@thevivafrei) June 25, 2023
Also, abortion is illegal in Germany after 12 weeks. Do you want to implement in America all German law, or just cherry-pick the ones you like? pic.twitter.com/OMsPnV1xKD
So you're saying in Germany, the government can throw people in prison for speech they determine is unacceptable, but in America, we have the right not to be incarcerated for simply expressing our opinions?
— Aldous Huxley's Ghost™ (@AF632) June 26, 2023
That's a big win for America, as offensive as this type of speech is.
As detestable as Nazis are, they’re exercising their right of free speech. The ACLU has defended their right to demonstrate. Keep in mind, as detestable as they are, the anti semitic Squad, all Democrats, also have a right to free speech.
— Carl Gottlieb (@c_cgottlieb) June 25, 2023
That's right, Dean. The First Amendment has also enshrined the right of your rabidly antisemitic Democratic colleagues to say all the rabidly antisemitic things they say.
And as a man who swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States when he took the oath of office and became a U.S. Representative, Phillips in particular should know the importance of preserving Americans' right to free speech. It's disgraceful that he's apparently forgotten all about it.
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