My most recent article, "President Donald Trump is officially impeached," triggers an outrage with Facebook, a couple of readers and the response that follows. But what about the freedom of speech?
Based on the U.S. Constitution, the First Amendment guarantees the freedom of speech of a Journalist to speak his mind as in my case when I write about President Donald Trump's wrongdoing. That same right is also given to others to confirm or to rebut with a comment on the content of any article or anything being said. This is the exercise of our democracy with the Journalists being the watchdogs and the mirror of society.
That article also sparked a chain of adverse reactions. Facebook, the platform where I share my articles, took down this particular article without giving me any notice or a motive for its act.
What's left of the article on my Facebook page is nothing but a phantom of it, a clickable dead link that opens a page with an error message. This action of Facebook is a blatant violation of the First Amendment clause.
Also, my former supervisor at Adrienne Art Center (keeping the anonymity) was very civil in commenting on the article when he stated: "Odias, I assure you that our 45th President will not be removed from office! Within days he will be acquitted in the Senate and will go on to win the election of 2020 and lead our country for another 4 years- continuing our newly found peace and prosperity!"
Another friend, a fellow compatriot, whom I met at the Adrienne Art Center a few years ago, also commented on the article. In his illusion of Trump as a superman or a super politician, he exaggerated saying: "Trump prepares to topple Pope Francis in move warned will fulfill"Doomsday Prophecy." This is nothing but "a pipe dream."
As for me, I have no problem with Trump or with the Republican Party. I was a Republican for 19 years, but I became disenchanted with a feeling of not fitting there. Unlike the multitude of Trump's overzealous sheep, I follow instead worthy shepherds, historical figures whose wisdom epitomizes leadership and success.
But my list of grievances against Trump is long. If my writing reflects my displeasure with him, it is because of who he is, but nothing personal. I blame him for withdrawing the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. Dangerous policy! Global warming is slowly destroying Mother Nature. Sea level is rising, and low-land areas are being overwhelmed by the ocean.
Also, Trump's Middle East foreign policy is a big fiasco. With the imperialistic might of the United States, he bullies weaker countries (Syria, Iran, Yemen and others) with a vengeance. In fact, there exist right now in that region too much chaos and bloodshed bearing his signature
In addition, Trump is one of the most corrupt and controversial American presidents and the third to be impeached in U.S. history. As such, most of his aides or associates have faced felony charges. Some are convicted or imprisoned; others are awaiting sentencing.
Despite all the heavy clouds that are hanging over Trump's head, he deserves credit for renegotiating NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) into something better than what it was. He is also credited for achieving the lowest African-American unemployment in years. But at the same time, he has added, so far, 3 trillion dollars to the national debt.
In other words, I wish Trump good luck with the Senate trial. If he survives it, I also wish him all the best in November 2020 presidential election. We'll see once again if Trump's destiny, not his leadership, becomes the sine qua non of his reelection.
After all, I am a Journalist, and I am doing my job. Our great democracy allows every Journalist to dig out the news, to inform or to educate society with the tenet of the profession.
That endeavor also includes writing about Trump's misconduct, whether Facebook takes down my article or others are in disagreement with it. The whole thing sizes up to the freedom of speech of the U.S. Constitution to which I am entitled as a watchdog.
