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John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, recently wrote an op-ed piece published in the Lexington Herald Leader blaming "right wing" commentary for the death of a census worker in eastern Kentucky. In an Oct. 19 post, I discussed how people like Gage threaten free speech.
Bill Sparkman was found hanging from a tree naked, allegedly with the word, "fed" written across his chest.
Gage wrote, "I don't believe it's a coincidence that this occurred after an unprecedented wave of hate speech by public officials, media figures and leaders of extremist organizations, some aimed directly at the census and some targeting President Barack Obama and the government in general.”
It seems what Gage "believes" diverges somewhat from reality. An AP story in today's Herald Leader reports that officials believe Sparkman may have committed suicide.
"In recent weeks, however, investigators have grown more skeptical that 51-year-old Bill Sparkman died at the hands of someone angry at the federal government."
Many don't realize that some early reports pointed to suicide. A Herald Leader story published on Sept. 25, just days after Sparkman's body was discovered, cast doubts on the cause of death. But this fact was lost in the rush to implicate conservatives or anti-government zealots. Liberal pundits and activists like Gage pounced on the story, using it to illustrate the dangers of conservative "right wing hate" speech and tacitly advocating for limits. "Something must be done!" they screamed.
And herein lies a lesson.
Politicians and others with an agenda love to use tragedy to propel their cause. Facts lose relevance. Rationality flies out the window. Our protectors must act and act now. Shootings provide impetus to ban firearms. The health risks associated with obesity drive those who want to ban fatty foods or tax soda pop. And a mysterious death in eastern Kentucky motivates those who would chill free speech.
Politicians and nanny staters insist they do all of this banning and regulating for our own good. They are, after all, keeping us safe.
But freedom comes with risk. In fact, one cannot live life at all without taking on risk. But all too often, citizens willingly trade freedom for some sense of security.
“Safety from external danger is the most powerful director of national conduct. Even the ardent love of liberty will, after a time, give way to its dictates. The violent destruction of life and property incident to war, the continual effort and alarm attendant on a state of continual danger, will compel nations the most attached to liberty to resort for repose and security to institutions which have a tendency to destroy their civil and political rights. To be more safe, they at length become willing to run the risk of being less free.” -Alexander Hamilton
When we willing trade freedom for securtiy, we end up with neither.
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