The Power of Words and the Threat to Free Speech

On this Monday broadcast from April 24, 2023, Kim Monson explores the profound power of words and their role in preserving liberty. Brad Beck joins to discuss his essay on language and oratory, Mark Oliva from the National Shooting Sports Foundation addresses Colorado’s firearms legislation, and Elizabeth Nolan Brown from Reason magazine warns about the dangers of the Restrict Act alongside Susan Kochevar.

The Dangers of the Restrict Act

Start listening at 69:17 – Hour 2

Elizabeth Nolan Brown, Senior Editor at Reason magazine and co-founder of Feminists for Liberty, joins to discuss the Restrict Act (Senate Bill 686), commonly called the TikTok bill. Brown explains that the bill gives the Secretary of Commerce extremely broad powers to identify, deter, disrupt, prevent, prohibit, and investigate any technology deemed a risk to national security or the democratic process.

The legislation could potentially ban any apps or technologies from countries designated as foreign adversaries, not just Chinese-owned platforms. Brown warns that Americans using VPNs to access banned content could face up to twenty years in prison and massive fines under the bill’s vague language. She draws comparisons to the Patriot Act, noting that bills sold as narrow security measures often expand far beyond their original scope through regulatory interpretation.

“I think there’s definitely just a silent majority out there of Americans who just want to be left alone, who want individual freedom for themselves, who want to be guaranteed that they can watch the media they want, interact with their friends online, worship how they want, and not have their neighbors interfere.”

Elizabeth Nolan Brown, Reason Magazine

The Power of Language and Public Speaking

Start listening at 01:20 – Hour 1

In this segment, Brad Beck, co-founder of Liberty Toastmasters, joins Kim to discuss his essay “Placeholders of Meaning” about the importance of words in our culture. Beck examines five powerful words from Patrick Henry’s famous “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech: arduous, inviolate, subjugation, comports, and reconciliation. He argues that modern Americans have lost touch with the richness of language, often settling for slang and word salads rather than the precise, meaningful terminology that can move people to action.

Beck draws a parallel between Henry’s ability to inspire Virginia to join the Revolutionary War through oratory and the current culture war, suggesting that conservatives must reclaim the power of words to communicate aspirational, hopeful messages. He warns against the divisive language used by politicians and pundits, noting that words can lead people in wrong directions just as easily as right ones, citing Hitler’s propaganda as a cautionary example.

“Being a person who values their ability to speak freely, whether I’m correct or incorrect, I can speak. That’s a gift.”

Brad Beck, Co-founder of Liberty Toastmasters

Republic vs. Democracy and Regulatory Overreach

Start listening at 57:32 – Hour 2

Susan Kochevar, entrepreneur and owner of the 88 Drive-In Theater, joins the discussion on the Restrict Act and broader concerns about government overreach. Kochevar points out that the bill’s language references protecting the “democratic process,” when in fact America is a republic, a distinction she considers critically important.

The panel discusses how legislation like this creates regulatory bodies with vast powers that operate without direct accountability to voters. Kochevar also introduces the topic of the Delphi technique, a manipulation method used in public meetings to manufacture consensus rather than genuinely gathering citizen input. The conversation concludes with reflections on the importance of citizens becoming comfortable with public speaking to effectively push back against government overreach at local meetings.

“We’re a republic. We are not a democracy, and that is a very, very important distinction. Democracies always go towards authoritarianism. They always tear down all the individual rights.”

Susan Kochevar, 88 Drive-In Theater

Defending Second Amendment Rights in Colorado

Start listening at 19:07 – Hour 1

Mark Oliva, Managing Director of Public Affairs with the National Shooting Sports Foundation, provides an update on firearms legislation moving through the Colorado legislature. He discusses House Bill 23-1165, which would give counties authority to prohibit firearm discharge on private property, creating a confusing patchwork of gun control laws across the state.

Oliva explains that the so-called “assault weapons” term was manufactured by Josh Sugarman of the Violence Policy Center in 1988 to confuse the public about modern sporting rifles. He notes that while Governor Polis reportedly did not want an assault weapons ban on his desk, numerous other gun control bills are advancing. The conversation emphasizes that criminals obtain firearms through illegal means ninety percent of the time, according to FBI studies, making these laws ineffective against actual crime while restricting law-abiding citizens.

“Those people who break the law need to be held accountable for their crimes and their actions. And those who are abiding within the law should have the full spectrum of their rights to be able to express and exercise those rights as they see fit.”

Mark Oliva, National Shooting Sports Foundation