Once a critical element of good journalism, and a foundational principal of democracy, dissenting opinion is no longer tolerated. Society has polarized, and become partitioned within partisan spheres that reinforce individual intuitive beliefs.

Truth is now crafted within narrow and well-defined parameters that conform to the popular narrative. Non-conforming viewpoints will struggle to find a platform in mainstream news. As the recent George Floyd story unveiled, for example, band-wagon journalism rarely challenged the narrative of racial bias in policing, despite numerous studies showing no existing bias in policing and the reality that the narrative itself was biased by special-interest groups (Black Lives Matter, Antifa).

In a radical paradigm shift, the voices now supressed, behind an iron curtain of politically correct liberal doctrine, are those of the silent majority once popularized by President Richard Nixon.

This was possible because many developed countries passed legislation to restrict free speech, under the guise of “hate speech”. Originally intended to curtail speech which might lead directly to harmful action such as genocide or breach of the peace, as in Canada, the lack of a legal definition of “hate” within the Criminal Code led to a much broader application of the law, which can now include mere criticism.

In the United States however, the right to free speech is protected under the First Amendment, and the Supreme Court has consistently upheld it.

As per the American Library Association, “In the United States, hate speech is protected by the First Amendment. Courts extend this protection on the grounds that the First Amendment requires the government to strictly protect robust debate on matters of public concern even when such debate devolves into distasteful, offensive, or hateful speech that causes others to feel grief, anger, or fear. Under current First Amendment jurisprudence, hate speech can only be criminalized when it directly incites imminent criminal activity or consists of specific threats of violence targeted against a person or group.”

The recent boycott by Facebook advertisers to pressure curtailment of hate speech actually violates the Constitution, and threatens democratic principals.

In order to advance the liberal agenda, a suite of go-to, holy-truth, power words and catch phrases have been weaponized; such as Racist, Homophobic and White Privilege. Emotionally provocative, this language is used to demonize opponents and shut down counterpoint.

A number of sacred “Hadrian Wall” subjects are taboo. These include Black Rights, Gay Rights, Indigenous Rights, Feminism and Ethnic Diversity. Public discourse proceeds from certain assumed truths…discrimination against blacks, racial bias in policing, discrimination against women in the workplace, discrimination against aboriginals and the necessity of ethnic diversity. These beliefs, and others, form the core of liberal doctrine across developed nations today. Largely emotive, and lacking critical analysis, the disarming rhetoric of the left has crafted reality in its' own image by stifling dissenting voices before they are spoken. An Orwellian state of conformity is achieved.

According to Media Bias/Fact Check, seven of the top ten newspapers (70%) in the US show left-of-center political bias, while seven of the top nine news networks (78%) show left or left-of-centre bias. Left-of-centre media sources “…have a slight to moderate liberal bias.  They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes) to favor liberal causes.”

Opposing voices are largely relegated to extremist news sources…and Trump rallies.

This wholesale “speechocide” of mainstream America has been greatly aided by social media. In this emotive fact-free landscape, conformity is rewarded through “likes”. Facebook does not provide a reward mechanism for disagreement. Only through agreement do users get the dopamine hit that they crave. Indeed, the goals of surveillance capitalism are only optimized through the predictability of uniformity. Social media are a first-strike weapon of special-interests.

Over time, the dominance of liberal rhetoric in mainstream journalism has curtailed the free speech which is fundamental to democracy.

In a true democracy, everyone is heard.

As Aristotle said, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought, without accepting it.”