Civility Is New Form Of Censoring Protected Speech

The focus by journalists on the comments by Trump shows the sorry state of American journalism, but also public discourse. Using the civility standard for public discourse silences and inhibits much speech which could explain where problems exist and how to fix them. Instead speaking about problems is discouraged because it might hurt someone's feelings. I encountered this same principle in public meetings in Cambridge, MA. One Washington DC dinner speaker, a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States discussed this dangerous principle. Trump's comments are protected speech. If they are wrong or factually incorrect journalists should show how and why. Instead they use personal attacks which are a form of propaganda. 


Donald Trump

[From article]
"I will say what I want to say, and maybe that’s why I’m leading in the polls because people are tired of hearing politicians and pollsters telling the politicians exactly what to say," Trump told Raddatz.
The fact is that apologizing after a comment judged as ill-advised (at best) by most politicians is exact opposite of the Trump brand. The sort of people who misspeak and then try to clean up their messes are the very people that Trump derides -- and that he believes the public can't stand either.
Even as Trump was refusing to apologize, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley was in the midst of the misspeak-apology cycle. In response to demonstrators at a liberal gathering in Phoenix demanding that O'Malley address police brutality and chanting "black lives matter, O'Malley said "Black lives matter. White lives matter. All lives matter." He later apologized; "That was a mistake on my part and I meant no disrespect," he said. "I did not mean to be insensitive in any way or communicate that I did not understand the tremendous passion, commitment and feeling and depth of feeling that all of us should be attaching to this issue."


Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/07/19/donald-trump-didnt-apologize-to-john-mccain-because-of-course-not/

Donald Trump didn’t apologize to John McCain. Because, of course not.
By Chris Cillizza

July 19, 2015 at 11:10 AM

* * *

[From article]
John McCain has called his own constituents who want a secure border “crazies.” No one in the news media or the establishment, including the Republican National Committee, criticized the senator for those comments.
Now, as respected reporter Sharyl Attkisson has proved point by point, the news media are also distorting my words. But that is not my point. McCain the politician has failed the state of Arizona and the country.
[. . .]
Thanks to McCain and his Senate colleague Bernie Sanders, their legislation to cover up the VA scandal, in which 1,000+ veterans died waiting for medical care, made sure no one has been punished, charged, jailed, fined or held responsible. McCain has abandoned our veterans. I will fight for them.
[. . .]
He would rather protect the Iraqi border than Arizona’s. He even voted for the Iran Nuclear Review Act of 2015, which allows Obama, who McCain lost to in a record defeat, to push his dangerous Iran nuclear agreement through the Senate without a supermajority of votes.
A number of my competitors for the Republican nomination have no business running for president. I do not need to be lectured by any of them. Many are failed politicians or people who would be unable to succeed in the private sector.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/07/19/donald-trump-republican-party-presidential-candidate-editorials-debates/30389993/

Trump: I don't need to be lectured
Donald Trump

6:46 p.m. EDT July 19, 2015