Quick Hit:

Alex Berenson's latest op-ed reveals alarming comments from prominent left-wing figures, John Kerry and Bill Gates, who have expressed clear disdain for free speech. Both men openly suggest that First Amendment protections stand in the way of combating dissenting opinions, especially on climate change and vaccines.

Key Details:

• John Kerry labeled the First Amendment a "block" to regulating dissent on social media at a World Economic Forum event.

• Bill Gates called for restrictions on speech, particularly vaccine skepticism, during a CNBC interview.

• Both expressed support for using artificial intelligence to censor dissenting opinions.

Diving Deeper:

In a recent Substack post, Alex Berenson warns of an intensifying left-wing campaign to undermine free speech in America. Berenson highlights two concerning videos featuring prominent left-wing figures—former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and billionaire Bill Gates—where both men openly questioned the limits of First Amendment protections.

Kerry’s comments, made during a World Economic Forum event, were focused on the growing issue of climate change skepticism. However, Kerry took a broader aim at the fundamental right to free speech, calling it a barrier to consensus-building. “There's a lot of discussion now about how you curb those entities in order to guarantee that you're going to have some accountability on facts... our First Amendment stands as a major block to be able to just, you know, hammer it [dissenting opinion] out of existence,” Kerry said, referring to social media platforms allowing dissenting voices.

Berenson underscores the gravity of Kerry’s remarks, noting that they represent an open rejection of the First Amendment. "Yes, Kerry openly called the First Amendment a 'block' to his desire to regulate social media outlets that allow dissenting points of view," Berenson writes.

Meanwhile, Bill Gates echoed similar sentiments in an interview with CNBC, where he called for restrictions on speech that promotes vaccine skepticism. "We should have free speech, but if you're inciting violence, if you're causing people not to take vaccines, you know, where are those boundaries, that even the US should have rules," Gates said. He even suggested that artificial intelligence could play a role in censoring dissenting opinions quickly, as allowing such content to remain visible for even a day would be too long.

Berenson views these remarks as part of a broader pattern among the left, which began in earnest following Donald Trump’s election in 2016. "The left’s antipathy to the First Amendment began in 2016, when Donald Trump overcame the hostility of the entire establishment," he explains. The situation has only worsened, according to Berenson, as the left increasingly calls for government-led censorship efforts, particularly in the wake of Covid-related dissent.

Berenson warns of the dangerous path these calls for censorship could take, reminding readers of the importance of free speech protections. "When people tell you who they are, believe them," he concludes.

As the battle over the First Amendment intensifies, Berenson’s op-ed raises serious concerns about the future of free speech in America.