Free speech 101

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http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/571352,CST-EDT-edit24.article

MoveOn.org has a right to its 'Petraeus/Betray Us' ad, senators

September 24, 2007

Let's get this straight. The United States is fighting a war to install essential freedoms in Iraq. But on Thursday, no fewer than 72 senators approved a resolution condemning an organization for exercising its right to free speech.

We're referring to the now-infamous "General Petraeus or General Betray Us?" ad placed by MoveOn.org, a Democratic policy arm and fund-raising tool. Senators who voted to denounce the ad were mostly Republicans riled up by the ad's claim that the general "cooked" facts in his progress report to present a more positive spin on President Bush's Iraq policy. The president said he was "disgusted" by the ad's impugning of the general's integrity.

We don't think Petraeus, by all accounts an honorable fellow, betrayed anyone. We do think he is doing the best he can under difficult circumstances. After all, Bush is his commander in chief.

That snarky "Petraeus/Betray Us" rhyme has been floating around on the Internet so long that MoveOn.org likely had to scrape the mold off before appropriating it. Isn't making fun of people's names so junior high?

We're far less bothered by the unoriginal slight than by the Senate's rush to deny free speech in this latest effort by Republicans to portray anyone who criticizes the administration as unpatriotic.