Is domestic terrorism protected under the First Amendment? What? No. Any sane person would think this idea is insane. Yet, since the attack that took place on the Capitol Building, Republicans have tried to claim that the rioters were just exercising their First Amendment rights and that they should be exempt from the consequences of their actions.
Jim Jordan, a representative from Ohio, claimed the impeachment of President Trump on the grounds of inciting violence and insurgency is a part of “cancel culture” and a violation of the First Amendment. However, Jordan fails to see that, while the First Amendment protects individuals from the government infringing on or punishing them for inflammatory speech, Trump’s comments are not protected by the First Amendment.
In the 1969 case, Brandenburg v. Ohio, the Supreme Court ruled that speech that is “directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action” is not protected by the First Amendment. So, yes; Trump’s comments are, in fact, grounds for impeachment.
Even if they were not, what kind of world leader incites violence in his own country? How can someone holding the title of leader of the free world bash the very system that put him into power four years ago? How can the President of the United States call for a fair and democratic election to be overturned so he can desperately cling to power? If this were to happen in any other country, the U.S. would have intervened and put in someone that would have been useful to them.
Trump and his supporters have made a mockery of this country. They have made a mockery of democracy. They ruined whatever chance the Republican party had of being respected. They made fascism mainstream in this country. They demonized being against fascism or supporting human rights.
His supporters committed domestic terrorism against Congress and he told them that they were special and that he loved them. This is the same man that called for peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters to be shot at and tear gassed so he could have a photo op at a church he does not go to. The same man claims to represent the party of law and order, good Christian values and the party of Lincoln.
Trump’s actions have sown hatred and chaos in this country. I believe that future generations will look at this time period the same way we have looked at the dictators in the ages before us. This is not how the transfer of power is supposed to be. This was not peaceful. This was an insurrection.
