A personal note to Steve Baker: Please remember Matthew Lyon.
Congressman Ryan was a fierce critic of the Adams administration and was indicted by the John Adams administration for violating the Sedition Act. When he was dubiously convicted, the federal marshal who took him to prison made a show of it, dragging him around town to show the public that an enemy of the government was no better than a prisoner. Criminal justice was political theater, and it was no accident.You can read a detailed account of Lyon’s trials here or something shorter here.
Donald Trump criticized a reporter, and that’s inexcusable. Anyway, Mr. Baker, turn around and put his hands behind his back.
many American writers and activists have been arrested by the government for publishing criticism of politicians or giving speeches expressing disagreement with officials.
Clement Vallandigham, a lawyer and former congressman, was arrested by soldiers and tried in a military court (among other things). to call Abraham Lincoln was a tyrannical king who usurped power by unilaterally suspending the right to habeas corpus during the Civil War.
Woodrow Wilson’s administration shut down dozens of newspapers and magazines for criticizing America’s participation in World War I and questioning the use of military conscription, and socialists Charles Shenk and Elizabeth Baer was charged with distributing leaflets encouraging men to resist the draft.
Throughout our history, the federal government has sometimes arrested people who say things the government doesn’t like. It’s a tradition similar to beer luge and bad copy bands.
Steve Baker is facing a late Federalist parade of shame for covering the January 6th protests as an independent journalist.like him these days I have writtenFriday’s arrest is being controlled in stages for optical examination: “The prosecutor informed my lawyer that I will be arriving at the courthouse.” @FBI In the field office, I wear shorts and sandals. …’ They seem to feel the need to subject me to personal humiliating treatment rather than simply issuing a citation. ”
Like Matthew Ryan, Steve Baker has been subjected to political mistreatment by his government as a ritual to disparage his critics.
But what happens next is the important part. John Adams and his Federalist government criminalized dissent, prosecuted critics, suppressed free speech, and lost the presidency to Thomas Jefferson. Their crackdown on opposition was a sign of the party’s demise. They felt the power slipping out of their hands and uttered abusive language.
By the way, Matthew Ryan was re-elected to the House of Representatives. from prison. Because voters were tired of seeing him prosecuted for political disagreements. You might be able to think of some ways to apply that observation today.
We have been working hand in hand with Thomas Jefferson and his contemporaries for many years. Thugs and scumbags arrest critics and journalists who operate in a spirit of fearless independence, and ordinary people know it. Periods of political repression are followed by periods of popular rebellion and backlash. (Unless you’re Alexander His Hamilton, in which case it’ll be his Broadway musical.)
In 1798 and 1799, Federalists knew that all the best people were Federalists and everyone else was low-status trash. But look at the National Archives and Records Administration. I will explain today’s sedition law.:
This law was aimed at the Democratic-Republican Party, which is usually supported by New Citizens. The only journalist charged under the sedition law was the editor of a Democratic-Republican newspaper.
The Insurrection Act trial, combined with the Senate’s use of contempt powers to suppress opposition, sparked a storm of intense criticism of the Federalists and contributed to their defeat in the election of 1800, but The law was subsequently repealed or allowed to lapse.
”You can’t say you’re happy until you die“Today is temporary, and then there will be other days, and other opinions will prevail. And in the long term, or even in the very near medium term, most Americans will not be critics. “The clock of history is ticking.” Joe Biden is going to look bad in the near future — well, okay, everyone already thinks bad about Joe Biden. There will be.
Examples of political repression abound, but none are warmly remembered. But here the story turns into a dark comedy. Let’s take a moment to recall historical examples of journalists being targeted and the American response to them. this link And remember something: Donald Trump criticized During his presidency, we listened to four years of hysterical fear-mongering from reporters about how vicious and oppressive it is to call Jim Acosta an idiot.
By the way, Jim Acosta absolutely fool.
Today, the Biden administration detained a right-wing journalist for covering political events, and the adult children who posted mean tweets about CNN and said Donald Trump looked a lot like Hitler, Steve Baker. remains silent while being handcuffed.
Here it is Another shining example, an NPR discussion with zero self-awareness about how the brutal monster Donald Trump acted much like the horrifying Wilson administration. He criticized reporters, which is inexcusable. Anyway, Mr. Baker, turn around and put his hands behind his back.
Things to remember for your transition to accountability.
