General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Bradley Manning is a true American hero. [View all]sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)killing of at least two war veterans, the brutal treatment of those falsely arrested while in detention where they never should have been, the arrests of journalists covering the story, and even the arrests and abuse of elected officials who dared to support them here in the US, not to mention that all of it, we now know for sure, was coordinated at a Federal level, Russia seems way ahead of us at this point in terms of respect for free speechj.
Since ince the world watched in shock those brutal attacks on peaceful, unarmed protesters exercising their 1st Amendment rights, we really are not taken seriously anywhere when it comes to the issue of free speech. Not to mention the lies told by the Corporate Media, the distortions with the goal of protecting Wall St?? Please, we have zero credibility on issues such as torture, free speech, war crimes etc.
By contrast, when Russians went out to protest Putin, no blood was shed, yes there were arrests, but there was no comparison to the brutality and the destruction of basic human rights demonstrated against Americans doing the same thing, enough that the UN Rappateur appealed to the US to intervene. An ironic request, considering it WAS the US government that attacked those American citizens.
Get back to me when people can protest injustices here in the US without ending up with their heads bashed in or their kidneys ruptured or when Jouranlists are allowed to cover a story without being brutalized and arrested for doing so.
Free speech in the US? Yes, so long as you don't dare to question the policies of this government. It is shameful, also shameful is the silence of members of Congress as they watched those they represent being abused and injured and jailed, illegally. We are in no position to criticize anyone else as we are now being repeatedly told.