Mr. Hobbs is talented and his rap is true to the genre, filled with violence and chest beating. Unfortunately, however, Mr. Hobbs has chosen to encourage violence, perhaps merely artistically, against a citizen who exercised his free speech, and Mr. Hobbs paints a picture of squaring off against the rapper using an Army M-1 Abrams and a .50 cal. Says the soldier, "I've got a whole Army, homie, go on and bring your hood, and we can step toe to toe, I bet I win, go on and bring your boys, and I'm gonna bring my men." While the soldier is using his free speech, he is representing the armed forces while doing so, and his free speech is not the substance of an American system of civilian control over its military. Despite the emotional applause from those who no doubt consider themselves American patriots, this rap response contains a philosophy more closely aligned with China or the old Soviet Union. His response, while clever and well done, is quite simply un-American.
I see this attitude from those in uniform displayed to punish free speech not infrequently when the Westboro Church makes headlines. Support for violence against them, even support for using local law enforcement to unlawfully arrested them to prevent the church members from lawfully exercising their unpopular speech, etc. This type of popular "patriotism" erodes our country from the inside.
It's a frightening trend when those who take an oath to support and defend the Constitution cheer lead its destruction, and soldiers seek to punish citizens they disagree with using violence. In song or in reality.
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you are using westboro church as an example? true they are expressing freedom of speech but what patriot doesnt want them silenced? for them to protest is one thing, but to do it at a funeral when people are grieving is wrong. And as a service member myself i applaud stephen hobbs for his creative return. who says he is inciting violence? im sure all of the military would love to say some words to soulja boy, but few would want to harm him. You have the nerve to defend soulja boy and westboro but not a soldier expressing HIS freedom of speech. PATHETIC!!!
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