Freedom of Speech Does Not Guarantee Understanding

Daily Beast columnist Jay Michaelson is unhappy with America’s football fans.

In a thoughtful column, he argues that “kneeling for the anthem is a sign of respect, not disrespect, for our country and the values it stands for.” He adds that “To protest—for whatever cause, left or right wing—is to make real the best ideals of America: freedom of speech, democracy, the rule of law. Protesting brings those ideals into reality.”

But as players kneel in protest, America’s football fans have not been pleased. Ratings and attendance are down while public perceptions of the NFL have fallen dramatically.

There are many reasons for this, but the fundamental problem is that the message any audience sees and hears is often different than what the messenger meant to convey. That’s true in any form of communication on any subject. Michaelson has a clear idea of what he thinks the players taking a knee are trying to say. But others hear something else entirely because we all tend to view the world through our own filters and perceptions.

Many fans (or former fans) enjoy football and other sports as a space free from blatant political commentary. These fans are probably just irritated that political activists have invaded their weekend entertainment. In their view, the players are entertainers and should do what they’re paid to do.

Others have come to see the kneeling as a sign of disrespect for the flag, the nation, and the military. That may not be the intent, but that’s the perception. Michaelson recognizes this and wants us to “stop talking about their form of protest, and engage with what they’re trying to say.” But, in the eyes of many, the form of protest has become the central message of the effort.

I happen to agree with Michaelson that the freedom to protest and call attention to our nation’s shortcomings is essential to progress. Additionally, I devoted an entire chapter of Politics Has Failed: America Will Not to the tragic legacy of institutionalized racism. It is a serious issue that needs to be addressed and the NFL’s celebrity voices could play an important role in that process.

But it is also time for the protesters to recognize that their efforts may be doing more harm than good. As long as there is nothing in their employment contract to prevent kneeling for the anthem, they certainly have the right to protest in this manner. That’s what freedom of speech is all about.

But freedom of speech does not come with a guarantee that you will be understood on your own terms. Players and others may think fans are misinterpreting their intentions, but that doesn’t mean the fans are wrong. Instead, it means that the protesters must find a better way to communicate their message.

I don’t know what that might look like, and I definitely do not think the players should give up and remain silent. But it’s probably time for the protesters to declare victory and develop a new approach that can win broad support from their fans and the public at large.

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Trump Proving Politicians Not As Important As They Think They Are

Shortly after World War II, Congress passed a law requiring the federal government to assume responsibility for managing the economy. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy claimed that government stewardship was responsible for the post-War economic boom. In those heady days, there was even talk about how economists had learned to fine-tune the economy.

Looking back, the hubris of the 1960s governing elite seems laughable. Studies have shown that the best economic models of that era failed to predict most of what actually happened. We know today that the post-War boom had more to do with pent-up demand and America’s global dominance than government policies. By the 1970s, government policymakers seemed unable to understand or address the combination of high inflation and growing unemployment.

Being pragmatic, most Americans eventually came to agree with Ronald Reagan’s assessment that “government is not the solution to our problems, government is the problem.” He connected with everyday Americans by declaring that the most frightening words in the English language were “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” His words still resonate today as a majority of Americans believe the federal government has too much power. Only 7% think it has too little.

But a growing political class resisted that view and retained faith in the idea that the government could manage the economy. In fact, those in official Washington came to believe that government bureaucrats could create a better nation by managing every aspect of life in America. They cheered the dramatic growth of the Regulatory State and were convinced that bureaucrats know best.

Thus began a wide divide between everyday Americans and political elites.

That background helps explain the intense hatred of President Donald Trump. Some of the hatred stems from the president’s aggressive style and tortured language. Even many of the president’s supporters cringe at some things he says and does.

But, I suspect that the deeper cause of this hatred stems from the fact that President Trump is exposing the core myth of the political class. The privileged elites in Washington think the nation needs their wise leadership, but the president was elected by people who disagree. And, the president is proving that the voters are right.

According to the political class worldview, this Administration is doing everything wrong. Rather than steady leadership from smooth talking officials, the White House has been consumed with turmoil and distracted by the president’s unpresidential tweets. The political atmosphere is more poisonous than anyone alive today can remember. The government continues to be gridlocked and dysfunctional and Congress hasn’t passed any significant reforms. President Trump has been rolling back regulations rather than giving more power to bureaucrats.

If the political class worldview was correct, the economy should be tanking. But it’s not. In fact, consumer confidence is at a 13-year high, people are feeling better about their personal finances, and businesses keep generating more jobs.

This is good news for America, but not for the political class. It’s further proof that they’re not as important as they think they are. For many in official Washington, highlighting the irrelevance of their work is President Trump’s unforgivable sin.

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The Gun Control Debate is Not About Guns

Every time a horrific event like the Las Vegas massacre takes place, it is followed by a frustrating and futile debate about the merits of gun control. People on both sides of the debate trot out talking points and talk right past each other without listening.

Much of the frustration comes from the fact that everybody would like to do something to prevent such disasters from every happening again.  But, the overwhelming desire to do something is matched by the pragmatic reality that no new law, policy initiative, or government program could have prevented the gruesome events of Las Vegas. As a result, the discussion moves on to other forms of gun violence with the same sense of frustration.

The ongoing frustration stems from the fact that the debate is not really about guns. It’s about who you trust.

Those who would like to see guns strongly regulated or banned may think they are just seeking to lessen the potential harm or violence in society. But, they are also suggesting that only government officials or those authorized by the government can have a gun. For people to be comfortable with giving government a monopoly on deadly weapons requires a great deal of trust in government.

But, in 21st century America, that’s pretty hard to find. In fact, it’s been more than 45 years since a majority of Americans trusted the federal government to do the right thing most of the time. And the distrust is growing decade-by-decade. Today only 20% trust the federal government most of the time. Only 4% “just about always” trust the feds.

It’s worth noting that the 45 years of growing distrust in the federal government has coincided with the growth of the Regulatory State. As distant and unaccountable bureaucrats have assumed more power, the disconnect between the government and the governed has grown. While the Regulatory State is designed to limit the influence of voters in government policy, most Americans believe voters should have an even greater voice.

For those who distrust the government, therefore, the notion of letting only the government have guns is absurd. From their perspective, the government already has too much power. Why would we give them more? That perspective explains why 48% of Americans believe the right to own a gun is essential for freedom. According to the Pew Center, another 33% believe such rights are important for freedom, not essential. Only 19% say that the right to own a gun is not important.

Ultimately, therefore, the gun debate is about trust. Those who defend the Second Amendment trust everyday Americans far more than they trust the government and government officials. The reverse is true for those who want to ban or strictly regulate guns.

The debate is uncomfortable for many Americans who would like to see rules and policies implemented that prevent people with mental disabilities from getting guns. It’s uncomfortable for the vast majority who would love to stop the carnage associated with gang warfare or domestic abuse. It’s uncomfortable because most Americans would like some kind of reasonable rules imposed but they don’t trust the government to be reasonable.

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That Helpless, Hopeless Feeling

Horrific, sickening, tragic, are among the words I’ve heard used to describe the news from Las Vegas. But none of them really capture the reality that such acts are utterly beyond comprehension. As I write this, official sources are still looking for a motive, but no rational motive can possibly exist. Whatever made the killer take 58 lives made sense only in some delusional world most humans can’t come close to understanding.

After the words and the images sink in, it still doesn’t seem real. But we want to know why! Who or what can we blame? What can we do to prevent this sort of thing from ever happening again?

That’s when the hopelessness sets in. We want an easy answer, but there aren’t any. In fact, while it’s hard to admit, there probably aren’t any answers at all. It’s happened before and will happen again. Humans have done terrible and sickening and horrific things to others throughout recorded history.

This journey was partially described by statistician Leah Libresco in a Washington Post column. Previously, the gun control advocate had been involved with a project documenting the reality of gun deaths in the United States.

Her team found that 63% of gun deaths involved suicides. Most of these deaths involved older men. The biggest group of homicides involved young men, generally those who were involved with gang or criminal activity. On top of that, roughly 1,700 women were murdered, generally as a result of domestic abuse.

As she explored the data looking for answers, Libresco admitted “the policies I’d lobbied for crumbled when I examined the evidence.” The more complex reality showed that passing new laws might make some people feel good, but it would not reduce gun violence. In the end, Libresco “found the most hope in more narrowly tailored interventions.” These solutions focused on the underlying causes, rather than the guns.

Unfortunately, in the aftermath of an event like the Las Vegas shooting, few people engage in the sort of careful analysis that Libresco offered. Instead, most of us respond in a visceral way. We can’t make sense of what happened and we hate the fact that there’s nothing we can do to help. We want to get rid of that sickening feeling by believing that there is a silver lining to be found. Maybe, just maybe, we think, this is the time we will learn how to prevent this from ever happening again.

Like everyone else, I desperately want to find that silver lining. I never again want to wake up to hear of another Las Vegas. But, like Libresco, I know that there are no magical cures or silver linings. It breaks my heart to tell people that the data shows their pet solution won’t solve anything, but that is the reality we must face.

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