Free Speech Fever

However much they may flirt with policy discussion, Presidential State of the Union addresses are ultimately an exercise in political theater. The President is ultimately the star of the show, but it's hardly surprising that other players want to get a share of the spotlight.

South Carolina congressman Joe "You Lie" Wilson set a pretty high bar, but Texas Representative Steve Stockman seems up the challenge, in part because he's bringing reinforcements. Stockman, whose issues with President Obama are well-documented has invited a guest who may have even more grievances with the President - yes, Ted Nugent. The invitation of the Motor City Madman points to a problem for the GOP, though perhaps not for the obvious reasons.

The problem isn't that Nugent is a somewhat overrated guitarist with chicken-hawk leanings who crapped in his pants repeatedly to get himself declared unfit for service in Vietnam but heaps inflammatory and sometimes foul rhetoric on anyone who doesn't fit his narrow view of American values, though, all those things are true. The problem lies with Republican elected officials and, in Mitt Romney's case, credible candidates who refuse to repudiate Nugent no matter how much crap he scrapes out of his old pants to flings at people who love their country just as much as he claims to do.

Patriotism has historically been the last refuge of the scoundrel, but many American politicians seem to have concluded that invoking "freedom of speech" is their best protection from actual principle. When a de facto political figure like Nugent or Trump makes a comment that pole-vaults over the line between discourse and disgusting, too many politicians are happy to wrap themselves in the Bill of Rights and invoke the First Amendment to insulate themselves without having to take an actual stand that risks alienating supporters. This is, of course, hypocritical and cowardly and as such misunderstands the point this fundamental right.

Freedom of speech, that is to say freedom from government regulation of speech, was incorporated into the Constitution so that the citizens of a country that fought a war for freedom could speak truth to power without fear of government reprisal. What that right does not convey, however, is freedom from consequences. Just because the government is precluded from restricting speech, except for narrow exceptions in the area of public safety, doesn't mean that an elected official doesn't have an obligation to call out inflammatory language for what it is. That's something Senator (and candidate) Obama came to understand about the speeches of Reverend Jeremiah Wright and something that self-identified patriots like Stockman (and Nugent) will never appreciate.

Cat Scratch Patriotism

If Samuel Johnson's quote that patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel still holds true, then there may be no bigger scoundrel in America today than Ted Nugent. The "Motor City Madman", who is all too happy to paint others as hating America, would surely be the first to tell you what a true patriot he is as he shares his outrage at those who would compromise the values on which America was founded. The current target of Nugent's wrath is the Army officers who canceled Nugent's appearance at Fort Knox in the wake of comments he made about President Obama.

Not surprisingly, Nugent viewed the base commanders’ decision as an attack on his first amendment rights and an insult that “defiles the sacrifices of those heroes who fought for the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights.” While I'm obviously happy to see that Nugent's sphere of interest goes beyond the second amendment, it seems to me that he somewhat misunderstands the first. Yes, congress can't pass laws abridging freedom of speech (not to mention religion or peaceful assembly), but that doesn't mean your words can't have consequences, especially when you call the President a criminal and compare him to a coyote while extolling the virtues of shooting said coyote. 

Obviously Nugent should be able to say whatever non-slanderous and non-threatening things he wants about whoever he wants, especially the President, just as I can say whatever I want about him under those same parameters. On that note, it genuinely offends me to hear rants about patriotism and the sacrifices of our military from a man who, rather than risk being sent to Vietnam, decided to soil himself for a week before meeting the draft board. That seems like a far better place to begin a discussion about who’s “anti-American” or who's actually dishonoring our military.

The Nuge vs. Hussein B

Anyone who's been to a Ted Nugent concert (or read the opinion page of The Washington Times) in recent years has doubtless heard the rock icon make numerous disparaging remarks about President Obama. What most people don't realize is that this animosity actually has relatively little to do with public policy decisions. It's all about a song and a hard line drawn where compromise would have benefited all.

For many years "the Nuge" has wanted congressional recognition for his classic Wang Dang Sweet Poontang (possibly to replace The Star Spangled Banner as the national anthem - accounts vary widely). He knew he get no help from Michigan's senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, who he often referred to as "those [expletive deleted]", but when Barack Obama was elected to represent the neighboring state of Illinois in the US Senate he finally had hope.

This was not false hope, as Obama was known to be a big fan of the "Motor City Madman", but what he hadn't reckoned with was how much Michelle Obama disliked that particular song. In any case, during a meeting between the two men harsh words were exchanged when the future President suggested the equally classic Cat Scratch Fever as an alternative. Here again, accounts vary but most independent sources seem to agree that Nugent was pushing his luck with Hussein B (to use the future President's street handle) who was fully capable with putting a crossbow bolt up Nugent's "damn yankee".

Since then, the war of words has been unending, albeit one-sided as President Obama has chosen to take the high road. This schism between two men who each in their own way exemplify American individuality is a true American tragedy, all the more so because it could have been avoided if "the Nuge" had simply been willing to consider Cat Scratch Fever instead.

I am, of course, kidding about all of this.