Anthony Kennedy Has Important Parting Advice for Liberals

Written by David E. Smith

This week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in NIFLA v. Becerra should drive a stake into the heart of an Illinois law that requires pro-life medical professionals to refer patients for medical procedures/services they find morally objectionable such as abortion, sterilization and certain end-of-life care protocols.

This tyrannical legislation (SB 1564) was signed by Republican impostor Bruce Rauner and sponsored by Chicago Democrats. In writing the majority opinion of the Court, Justice Anthony Kennedy offers some constructive criticism to totalitarian policy-makers:

[B]egin by reading the First Amendment as ratified in 1791; to understand the history of authoritarian government as the Founders then knew it; to confirm that history since then shows how relentless authoritarian regimes are in their attempts to stifle free speech; and to carry those lessons onward as we seek to preserve and teach the necessity of freedom of speech for the generations to come. Governments must not be allowed to force persons to express a message contrary to their deepest convictions. Freedom of speech secures freedom of thought and belief.

Writing for National Review, conservative pundit David French points out that Kennedy’s rebuke is crystal clear: “Progressives can’t ‘progress’ past a fundamental respect for liberty and tolerance for their fellow citizens.”

Let’s hope and pray that liberals (as opposed to Leftists) heed the First Amendment’s civil rights protections for all citizens, including Christian conservatives. Maybe they can return to the principle embodied in the aphorism:

“I wholly disapprove of what you say [or don’t say]—and will defend to the death your right to say it [or not say it].”

The fact that this case was decided by a 5 to 4 vote should be disconcerting to freedom-loving Americans. We too-narrowly avoided setting a legal precedent that would have granted government bodies the authority to compel speech and with it ushering in a significantly diminished understanding of our First Amendment rights. This concern was raised by Alliance Defending Freedom president Michael Farris when he argued before the U.S. Supreme Court that this ominous law specifically targeted “disfavored speakers.”

With Justice Kennedy’s impending retirement, Christians throughout the nation would do well to commit themselves to fervent prayer for our nation, President Donald Trump, the eventual nominee, and members and leaders of the United States Senate as they work through the nomination process for his successor.

Read more:

Why The Supreme Court’s Ruling Will Protect All Pregnancy Centers From Forcibly Promoting Abortion (The Federalist)

Looking Closer at the ‘NIFLA’ Victory for Pro-Life Movement and Free Speech (The Stream)

California Can’t Make Pregnancy Centers Advertise Abortion, Supreme Court Rules (The Daily Signal)

US Supreme Court: Govt can’t force Americans to express messages they disagree with (Alliance Defending Freedom)

Summer-Time Challenge

As you may know, IFA has a summer-time matching challenge to raise $40,000. That’s right, a great group of supporters are colluding with us to provide an $20,000 matching challenge to help support IFA’s work to help elect pro-family candidates to the Illinois General Assembly.

Trust in the opposition media is at a historic low, and rightfully so. Leftists would love to drown out our voice, but we refuse to remain silent. Help us to reach farther & wider with our pro-family message and promote pro-family candidate for the Illinois House! To make a credit card donation over the phone, please call the IFA office at (708) 781-9371.  You can also send a gift to:

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