Sarah Palin, the former Vice Presidential candidate for the Republicans, has voiced her concern over Donald Trump’s indictment, comparing the situation to George Orwell’s dystopian novel, “1984,” and expressing fears that it’s making people apprehensive about their own thoughts.
Palin stated, “The ongoing proceedings are an eerie reality. It’s an unjust scenario. I describe it as Orwellian.” She equated the current situation with the narrative of 1984, wherein the suppression of freedom of speech resulted in people being fearful of their thoughts, lest expressing them lead to persecution by the government.
However, it’s important to note that expressing one’s thoughts is a personal choice, and one must take responsibility for their words, particularly when in public office. Furthermore, the political governance depicted in 1984 mirrors the way Trump attempted to lead the U.S., where the government possessed the authority to dictate truth, history, and facts. The current attempts by Republican governors to control the historical narrative echo the warnings in 1984 about Big Brother’s power to control information and the dangers of propaganda.
Palin further argued, “This is what’s happening to Donald Trump. He simply voiced his opinions on the elections, just like many Americans did. Democrats have been contesting election results for years.” Nonetheless, her statement isn’t entirely accurate. The indictment does acknowledge Trump’s freedom of speech. The charges he faces are a consequence of his actions, not his thoughts.
She added, “And what is the outcome? They’re trying to incarcerate the top man for expressing his thoughts. That’s Orwellian, and it paves the way for a slippery slope, starting with controlling speech.” Trump’s attorney, John Lauro, propagated this convoluted narrative of Trump’s “free speech” being prosecuted, announcing on Fox News that Trump was being indicted for “his beliefs and the political speech he propagated as president.”
However, the notion that attempting to reverse an election and disenfranchise voters equates to free speech is debunked by a detailed analysis by Vox. It argues that soliciting others to commit criminal acts of election fraud isn’t protected by the First Amendment. Moreover, the First Amendment offers limited protection for those knowingly making false statements.
It’s essential to remember that the right to vote and have it counted is fundamental in a democracy. Arguing that Trump’s free speech is being prosecuted is ludicrous, yet his supporters seem readily convinced of his infallibility. Palin’s remarks on Trump’s indictment are characteristically unique, even coining a new term, “injust.”
Before Trump’s notorious linguistic gaffes like “covfefe,” “bigly,” and “Nambia,” Palin was reshaping political discourse with phrases like “repudiate” and her infamous “cackle of rads” tweet commemorating women’s suffrage.
Palin defended her unique vocabulary, likening herself to William Shakespeare, “English is a living language. Shakespeare loved coining new terms too. Embrace it!”
Sarah Palin was the harbinger of Trumpism before Donald Trump himself. She embodied the perfect storm of stubborn ignorance meeting autocratic entitlement. Palin believed she was divinely chosen to be President and continually defied her running mate, Senator John McCain, instructions.
Having become the figurehead of the Tea Party, Palin rode the wave of racial resentment sparked by President Obama’s election victory to a high-profile position at Fox and significant media attention. However, her career took a downturn when she controversially claimed that holding her responsible for the shooting of Democrat Rep. Gabby Giffords, whose district was targeted by Palin with gun sights, was a case of “Blood Libel”.
Palin failed to regain her former standing, losing two elections for a House seat in Alaska. Sarah Palin paved the path for Donald Trump to ascend. And isn’t that simply “injust.”
