re: The left's current position summed up in one quote

quote:

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Free speech is relative to the government, not other citizens. A lot of you guys seem to have a basic misunderstanding of this basic premise.

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I appreciate the 1st Amendment restrains specifically the federal government. While Congress shall not make a law respecting the right of the people peaceably to assemble, Congress may, and has, made innumerable laws restricting the right of states (by incorporation of the 5th Amendment), agencies and ,yes, other citizens (cap on campaign donations, e.g.) to smother the lawful speech of others. The Oligarchs will never stop trying to silence the disadvantaged, wherever and whenever they are. Common law jurisprudence finds the government may impose reasonable restrictions on speech (having to obtain a permit to assemble, bans on obscenity). To assert that the 1st Amendment is not relative to citizens is a sin of omission of the first order.

TL;DR The misunderstanding is yours.