Threats Facing Conservative Speech

Floor Speech

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Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, not many have tasted true freedom like Americans have because, in all of the world, there is no place like the United States of America.

But if we are not careful, this unique experiment that has persevered through depression, famine, sickness, terrorism, world wars, and a civil war will disappear before our very eyes.

The French philosopher Montesquieu wrote that ``the deterioration of every government begins with the decay of the principles upon which it was founded.'' This statement is as true today as it was in 1748.

Right now, we are literally witnessing the decay of our freedoms of speech. For years, we have watched one political party silence and discredit those they disagree with by de-platforming them, censoring them, shadow-banning them, and suppressing their ability to reach the public.

We have seen this tactic used against duly elected Members of Congress, professionals in countless fields, conservative media outlets like Newsmax and OAN, and even a sitting President.

The endless kowtowing to a political faction with an agenda so radical that you either have to bend the knee or be exiled goes against the very fabric of our Constitution. It is un-American, and it is a disgrace.

The left treats debate or, God forbid, even a simple difference of thought, as public enemy number one. Why is our freedom of speech so threatening to the democratic narrative?

We cannot stand idle while our freedoms are being extinguished. As President Reagan said, ``freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.''

I don't want my 17 grandchildren to spend their sunset years telling their children and their children's children what it was once like in the United States, when men and women were free.

We must ensure that America remains that beacon of hope, the city on a hill, a nation with a dream that anyone can grasp if they only have the courage to dare.

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