Townhall Review | Commentaries

Three years ago, mainstream media outlets circled the wagons around Netflix for the film “Cuties,” about a dance troupe of pre-adolescent girls who performed highly sexualized routines. The New Yorker accused critics of being part of “a right-wing campaign.” 

Now, the film “Sound of Freedom” depicts real-life events in combating actual child trafficking—and the elite media is attacking the film, primarily because conservatives have promoted it. CNN, the Guardian and others accused the film of playing up to QAnon conspiracists—despite that almost all of the film takes place outside the US and is based on actual events. 

Child sex trafficking is real and it is growing, both outside and inside the US, as the Department of Justice declared two months ago. “Sound of Freedom” is a powerful, well-made film that shines a bright light on this scourge. One has to wonder why American media have rushed to block the light, especially after cheering the sexual exploitation of pre-adolescents three years ago.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson has been criticized for making a flawed claim about black infant mortality in her recent Supreme Court affirmative action dissent. The incorrection assertion—a mischaracterization of a study that was itself flawed—first appeared in an amicus brief for the case.

But that wasn’t the biggest problem with Justice Brown citing the study. It was that she cited any study at all.

Studies may be entirely persuasive (or sometimes, less so). But whatever facts they marshal, they do it in support of policy arguments.  And public policy is never the purview of the judiciary.

Deciding what’s sound public policy—what the law should be—is up to the legislature. Adjudicating what the law is—and what’s constitutional—that, and that alone, is the job of the judiciary.

In the United States, Supreme Court justices don’t sit as an unelected super legislature. Let’s hope they remember it.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A District Judge recently issued an injunction forbidding the government from talking to tech companies about banning content. That’s a good thing. 

When government holds the power to destroy a private business, even its suggestions are inherently coercive. So, for now, government is off the backs of Facebook, YouTube and the rest. But that’s not enough. These companies need to actually embrace the freedom they’ve been given and stop acting as the regime’s censors. 

Tech companies are not innocent victims of government: according to Alliance Defending Freedom’s Viewpoint Diversity Score, big tech has vague and subjective standards of free expression and shows serious signs of bias. Just because the government is no longer allowed to use its power to force these companies to be biased, doesn’t mean that they will automatically become free speech zones. They actually have to choose to be free and fair. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s fitting the Supreme Court abolished affirmative action right before Independence Day. Holding that every college applicant deserves to be evaluated as an individual, not as a member of a racial group, the Court affirmed the guarantee of equality set out in the Declaration of Independence.

In a 58-page concurrence, Justice Clarence Thomas delivers a statement for the ages. Himself a product of the Jim Crow South, he writes, “This vision of meeting social racism with government-imposed racism is self-defeating, resulting in a never-ending cycle of victimization.” 

Justice Thomas affirmed the existence of a colorblind Constitution. He writes, “Individuals are the sum of their unique experiences, challenges and accomplishments. What matters is not the barriers they face, but how they choose to confront them.” 

The spirit that animated our Founding Fathers is alive and well in men like Justice Clarence Thomas. He is a national treasure.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What better birthday gift could America get on Independence Day than a judicial order that dismantles an “Orwellian Ministry of Truth”? Federal judge Terry Doughty used that description of the massive censorship regime between the executive branch and social-media platforms in issuing an injunction to derail it. 

In his memorandum, the Louisiana judge noted that the supposed effort to combat “misinformation” turned into a political silencing project. “It is quite telling that each example or category of suppressed speech was conservative in nature,” Doughty ruled. “This targeted suppression of conservative ideas is a perfect example of viewpoint discrimination of political speech.”

“Americans have the right to engage in free debate about the significant issues affecting the country,” Doughty concluded. The First Amendment makes it patently clear that government has no business regulating and censoring public debate and dissent. That’s one of the key values and liberties we celebrated the day Doughty issued the injunction.

Happy Birthday, America!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and University of North Carolina, the Supreme Court abolished affirmative action. It clarified that our government has no business picking “winners and losers” based on skin color.

Since 1978, affirmative action has been justified on the “diversity” rationale. After last week’s decision, some worry college campuses will become less racially diverse. But discriminating by skin color isn’t the best way to address that concern.

Ironically, those hysterically denouncing the Students for Fair admissions decision also oppose school choice. Yet it’s often black and Latino children who are trapped in failing schools — dominated by teachers’ unions, which won’t tolerate competition.

Students of all colors from all backgrounds are capable of competing on their own merits for seats at elite universities. What too many lack is the ability to choose an education that will prepare them to do so. It’s time to change that.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The long, hot days of summer are now on us—and with them the celebrations like the Fourth of July and family vacations.

It is important to keep in mind that across large parts of the world the idea of either freedom or leisure—much less both—is so far off as to be the stuff of legend—of far away lands—especially one named America.

We are so blessed that we often simply forget to count our blessings; we ought to marvel at what we’ve had for nearly 250 years now.

No, we are not a perfect nation, not even close, but we are the best hope of mankind, exceptional for all of our history. 

Yes: Our political leaders often disappoint., but often they inspire.

And—I should point out—our challenges on the world stages are formidable.

But I’m hopeful that we can rise to those challenges of yet another era.

I know this: The facts of history do not lie. We have a lot to be thankful for.

Happy Fourth of July—from all of us here with the Salem Media Group.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s fitting that the Supreme Court has decided 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis in June—LGBTQ “Pride” Month. 

Like the well-known Masterpiece Cakeshop case, 303 Creative explores the tension between LGBTQ public accommodation rights and a business owner’s First Amendment right not to be forced to use her creative talents to express a message violating her religious convictions.

Thankfully, the majority has vindicated Colorado website designer Lorie Smith’s First Amendment freedoms, holding that she can’t be forced to create sites at odds with her deeply held religious beliefs. 

Colorado argued that once Smith created a wedding site, she had to sell it to gay and straight customers alike.

The Court has made it clear: Anti-discrimination laws aren’t intended to bludgeon creative workers into disseminating messages that violate their beliefs.

It’s a great day for the First Amendment and the Constitutional Rights of all Americans.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Supreme Court just ruled on the Harvard affirmative action case as well as a similar one involving higher education. But this isn’t just about higher ed, this will be an earthquake in the world of corporate DEI—the diversity, equity and inclusion programs. 

Companies that promise numerical outcomes—quotas, essentially—for race and gender for their employees are going to find themselves on the defense, in the court of public opinion and in actual courts as well. 

When the court reaffirmed the Constitution’s requirement for equal protection for all persons, it put reverse discrimination on legal notice. This puts companies that embrace these social engineering programs based on race instead of merit in a vulnerable position. 

The corporations that abandoned equality (treating everyone the same) in favor of equity (forcing certain outcomes), took a foolish risk. The new SCOTUS ruling shows just how foolish that risk was.

The Supreme Court got it right.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Given the revelations coming from IRS whistleblowers about DOJ and FBI corrupt obstruction of Biden family investigations, even the Democratic partisans of mainstream media will eventually have to cover the story.

If true, the allegations demonstrate a pattern of corruption—and perhaps worse—within the Biden family.

As a result, there has been an outcry for impeachment among part of the Republican faithful. But impeaching prematurely is a mistake.

Most Americans aren’t avid news consumers. They’re only slowly becoming aware of the facts. Rushing them to a conclusion — and to a decision about impeachment—looks like a political stunt and payback for the treatment of President Trump.

It’s far better to allow the facts to emerge organically, and to allow the American people to see for themselves. These allegations are serious. There’s nothing to be gained—and much to lose—by politicizing them with a rush to judgment.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.