Milo Yiannopoulos ordeal a 101 course in First Amendment rights, politics

Now that we are fresh off of Milo Yiannopoulos’ resignation and public shaming, I can’t help but see that this whole ordeal is a perfect example of our First Amendment rights, politics, and the free market system.

What a great lesson was taught to those that lean so heavily on the First Amendment.

Yes, we have a right to free speech in this nation. One of the basic tenets of the First Amendment is to protect offensive speech. It’s not to protect polite speech. It’s to protect our right to offensive speech free of government intrusion or persecution.

What the First Amendment does NOT do is protect us from the consequences of offensive speech. You see, Yiannopoulos made a joke a year ago. It was his right to make that joke a year ago.

However, there is no statute of limitations on consequences of offensive speech, especially from the political correctness police.

But, Mike! It was his RIGHT to say those things. True, and he exercised that right.

But once again, the government did not stop him or punish him. The First Amendment did its job.

Next, this was a perfect lesson in American politics. Yiannopoulos was an editor for the uber-right wing Brietbart News. It is the Breitbarts of the world that the Democrats blame for spreading lies about Queen Hillary Clinton and ultimately walking President Donald Trump into the White House.

On Nov. 9 of last year, the flamboyant, outspoken editor had a target painted on his back.

The Republicans laughed and cheered his posts about snowflakes and the like. When the Democrats went looking for dirt, they found it.

Here’s the political lesson: If you are Democrat that is busted for sexting an underage girl, such as Anthony Weiner, just say sorry and we’ll give you another shot. If you are busted for running a male prostitution service from your D.C. apartment, such as Barney Frank, just deny that you knew about it and all is forgiven.

But if you are a CONSERVATIVE homosexual, victim of sexual abuse and you make a TERRIBLE joke about sexual abuse, your career has to end!

Those same Republicans that were laughing and cheering Yiannopoulos’ antics are now jumping ship and distancing themselves from him.

Why? Political survival. Period.

Ah, American politics.

And finally, this whole situation has been a 101 course in free-market economics. After Simon and Schuster pulled away from Yiannopoulos’ upcoming book, the left celebrated as if they had won a major victory.

Their cheering might not last long, thanks to our free market system.

Yiannopoulos has millions — and I mean millions — of followers. I applaud Simon and Schuster for taking a stand that is going to cost them seven figures. I don’t agree with their stance, but I applaud them for taking one.

Another publisher will quickly pick up this book and make a lot of money. Before the controversy, I don’t know of anyone that knew Yiannopoulos was publishing a book. Now, thanks to Simon and Schuster taking a public stand, everyone knows he has a book coming out and his millions of followers will buy it!

Can you imagine the press the book will get when it becomes a best-seller? It will sell even more!

So let’s sum it all up: A man makes a terrible joke a year ago that is protected by the First Amendment, a group digs up the joke turning him into public enemy number one, he is forced into unemployment, he loses his book deal, it inadvertently give millions of dollars in free publicity, becomes a household name, has his supporters rallying behind him, and is about to move on up, like George and Weezy.

To quote the great John Cougar — or whatever he is calling himself these days — “Aint that America…”