A headline on CNN reports Trump again charging his critics with behavior more characteristic of him. “Trump Calls Nuclear Documents Claim a ‘Hoax,’ Describes FBI as “Sleazy.” Now we all know that Trump is a lifelong hoax. “Sleazy” is a good enough description of Trump, though he is, in fact, far beyond sleazy. 

Trump is misusing language in another of his ringing denunciations when he calls this FBI investigation a “witchhunt,” a paranoic term he always uses to describe any inquiry into his behavior. Accuracy, however, requires that an enquiry into Trump be called a “bitchhunt.”

The news is full of reports of Republicans instigating to violence (just like Jan 6) and of far-right advocacy of violence against the FBI and the government generally. Though the violent fringe of the neo-fascists often lurk behind pseudonyms or codewords, every effort must be made to identify these sociopaths so that they can be prosecuted for their advocacy of violence. 

Americans often confuse “free speech” with unregulated speech, unregulated by truth, reason, or law. But any authentic idea of a right to freedom of speech must include some limitations. The right must be balanced by associated duties, among them the duty that we not abuse the right. Otherwise, “right” just means license.