The suppression of free speech is a leading indicator of fascism not freedom and certainly not the small r republican values our Founding Fathers advocated in their classical liberalism.  I for one refuse to bend to tyranny from any camp…

The Squishy Sound of Democracy
by Michael Romani

In a world of gaffes and emotional crimes
Twitter is not the New York Times
To have your presence there
Is much more like rioting in Times Square

It's that squishy sound of democracy
The non-smooth negotiation of society
Where there's a thin margin
Between veracity and what's seen again and again

To hear and listen to voices to which we disagree
Is a fundamental necessity in a free society
We are not meant to be an authoritarian nation
There must be a broad gate in our walls of conversation

While pornography and trolling are an assured perversity
There is a valid need for us to experience true diversity
It's only in considering multiple points of view
We, as a society, can ever approach what's true

In the false name of morality, darkness has spread
As irrational fear censors the ability to use our heads
An outraged minority has grabbed social control
And objectivity and reason have lost their needed role

In our lifelong process of forced socialization
Disinformation and propaganda have gained normalization
The voices of unreason impose their special tyranny
Truly, I can only hope this is but a phase in history

It is time that we move from conflict toward resolution
But extreme censorship is not the solution
Setting class against class and people against each other
Should be walked back from as we relearn acceptance of each other

It's illogical to believe the internet created this mess
And each of us has responsibility to at least self confess
This awesome creation should be building bridges to strangers
So, let's learn again to communicate and lessen its dangers

(c) August 15, 2018  Michael Romani
All Rights Reserved