America’s self-examination - citizen or subject?

Last week while watching a conservative streaming channel, I heard a statement that I can’t get out of my head - our United States Constitution is what makes us “citizens” instead of “subjects.” If you’re unclear as to the difference, “Subject is derived from the Latin words, sub and jacio, and means one who is under the power of another; but a citizen is a unit of a mass of free people, who, collectively, possess sovereignty.” 

The discussion that followed was a very sore subject with me - how easily and without question, Americans gave in to fear and relinquished their rights in 2020.

You may ask, ‘Why won’t she let this go?’ I can’t let it go because questioning information brought harm to a lot of people. Stepping up to question the usurpation of our right to operate our places of business, attend church or to present conflicting medical data became financially and professionally dangerous. In America of all places, health and business professionals lost their jobs, and nearly three years later, that cancel culture mindset has decreased only slightly. 

The highly paid so-called reporters and established TV anchors regurgitated what came out of Washington or New York and many had their own political agenda. I’ll call them out with a quote from my March 2017 article about journalism and ethics and you judge if these people acted in accordance with their industry’s version of the Hippocratic Oath.

“The Society of Professional Journalists subscribes to four principles, and right up there with (1) seek the truth and report it, (2) act independently and (3) be accountable and transparent is (drum roll)…minimize harm! Specifically stated, “Ethical journalism treats sources, subjects, colleagues and members of the public as human beings and deserving of respect.”

Along with the media, I’ve lost all respect for corporate-run hospitals and doctors offices, or those affiliated with pointy headed academic institutions indebted to Big Pharma for their research grants, and anyone else who lined their pockets pedaling unvetted vaccines. 

I’m disgusted with social media platforms run by Gen Z and millennials whose collective ethics wouldn’t fill a thimble. For example, Twitter’s Vijaya Gadde, former head of legal policy, trust and safety - what an oxymoron that is - was recorded admitting he worked only four hours a month for the last couple of years. Then there were the other Twitter twits who enjoyed lattes and napping rooms in between banning conservative tweets.

The pandemic is over, you say. I agree but the threat to free speech never is. It’s been with us since the dawn of time. For instance, June 22, 1633, after a three month long inquisition, astronomer Galileo Galilei was judged a heretic for saying the earth was round. According to History.com, Galileo’s book was prohibited from being published, he agreed not to teach the “heresy” anymore and spent the rest of his life under house arrest. It took more than 300 years for the Catholic Church to admit that Galileo was right and clear his name. We don’t have 300 years to make amends to those health professionals fired for speaking out!

A more current example is that of ABC News investigative reporter James Gordon Meek who hasn’t been seen by family, friends or colleagues since the FBI raided his home in April. Nobody’s talking, least of all the FBI. Meek was set to publish an unflattering book about President Biden’s ill-fated pullout of Afghanistan.

Our First Amendment rights are part and parcel of American Exceptionalism. That term gets a bad rap but the fact is, what makes America “exceptional” is that it is the only country intentionally founded on the principles of free speech, free press, freedom to worship, freedom from unwarranted searches and seizures, etc., and that our rights come from God, not government. 

Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have doubted the people’s choice. Not so much now. What will you choose the next time our rights are breached – citizen or subject?

The column represents the thoughts and opinions of Connie Clements. Opinion columns are NOT the opinion of the Navasota Examiner. 

Clements is a freelance reporter for the Navasota Examiner and an award-winning columnist.