To understand what Donald Trump means when he says make America great again one needs to understand the principles that the country was founded upon and then take a look at the society that exists today. To me, it is obvious and evident what it means – and it is the main reason why I hope Donald trump wins the presidency. For those that do not see it clearly, it is imperative that you understand History.
In 1791 America’s founding fathers ratified the First Amendment of the Constitution. These words are the very foundation on which the great nation was built and is the single most important factor of American Exceptionalism. It reads:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
For my Israeli friends who have no idea why a Constitution is significant, I will translate this as plainly as can be. The First Amendment eloquently states that the government cannot interfere in religious matters, prevent anyone from believing in what they wish, censor the media, stop people from peacefully protesting and this – every citizen has the right to express their opinions. I’ll write it again – everyone who lives in America can say what is on their minds without repercussions. It is called Freedom of Speech and it is a cherished right that is very quickly being taken away.
Yes, calling someone a misogynist is protected speech – calling someone a bigot, a racist, a homophobe is protected speech – but the people screaming these words at their former friends and family are not about free speech – they are about silencing it. Scroll down that Facebook feed, see the comments. Someone comments about how they cannot trust Hillary because of her lying about the mishandling of classified emails and a barrage of insults and labels rain down on them. This is dangerous and undermining the rights and liberties that Americans are entitled to.
To highlight how this has started to infringe on the basics rights of citizens one only needs to look back to March of 2016 when Professor John McAdams of Marquette University was suspended simply because he defended a student’s right to say in class that marriage between a man and woman is the only form of marriage. What is worse is that Professor McAdams did not say this in class or even in the halls of the university, he wrote it on his blog. The uproar from the progressive movement pressured the university to act – and they did. The power of the progressive movement to silence people is massive, and this is merely one example of someone suffering as a result of their personal beliefs.
If Donald Trump is elected, without him doing anything it would go a long way towards saving the first amendment. A president who does not mince words or hold his opinionated tongue is the epitome of what America’s constitution is all about. Is Trump the best candidate for president ever? Absolutely, not. Hillary Clinton is not either, though. In fact, there are no criteria to determine the best candidate. Some of America’s greatest presidents, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy, Reagan, Clinton were deeply flawed morally, ethically or politically – and yet they led a nation to greatness during their respective tenures. What makes a great president is the ability to say things that are not popular, because a president is not there to appease – they are there to lead. I for one believe Trump can and will do just that and set the wheels in motion to restore to America the values and ideals that we all once cherished.
(Originally posted at: https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/make-america-great-again/)