Once upon a time in America, we celebrated differences in political thought. Our nation was born in a Constitutional Convention that lasted months and was characterized by heated debates between men of all political stripes. At the Constitutional Convention, the stakes could not have been higher – they were arguing over the fundamental makeup of their new country, and they knew the decisions they made would determine the course of the United States for many years to come. But while debates may have become heated, they respected the process of intellectual debate, and dealt with each other with dignity and respect.

Our Founding Fathers would be lost in the political climate we are living in today. These days, with the rise of social media and online discussions, more and more people have been given a voice. Instead of a room full of state representatives at the Continental Congress, any American who wishes to may devote their time and energy to shaping our national discourse and attempting to influence the direction of our country.

However, rather than upholding the ideals of our Founding Fathers, ideals that valued free thought, debate, and civility, a growing number of voices have instead embraced a set of values that would not have been out of place in the USSR. American political discourse is now dominated by voices that will not tolerate dissent and attempt to silence or drown out any ideas that are not ideologically pure. American thinkers have been concerned about the rising tide of political correctness for decades, but it has now reached levels we have never seen before.

The policing of thought is no longer limited only to public figures. Now random individuals can find their lives torn apart over a single comment if it is made within hearing of the online political correctness mob. Justine Sacco posted a joke on Twitter immediately before boarding an international flight. This joke was brought to the attention of the masses, and many people considered it offensive. While she slept on her flight, unaware and unable to respond to the attacks, thousands of people with nothing better to do gleefully heaped abuse on her, threatened her employer, and got her fired.

Lindsey Stone had a long running private joke with a friend where they took photos of themselves disobeying public signs. A picture of her being disrespectful in front of a sign at the Arlington National Cemetery went viral on social media, again earning the hate and abuse of thousands. They started a Facebook group called “Fire Lindsey Stone.” They actually got her fired. She received death threats. Her life was ruined.

Neither of these women were public figures of any kind, and neither had power to influence political decisions. However, that doesn’t matter to the new PC police. What matters to them is that these women expressed ideas that the mob found distasteful. Instead of engaging with their ideas, they instead decided to punish them for their digressions. This is emblematic of everything that is wrong with America today.

Political correctness has had a chilling effect on American discourse. People are afraid to say anything without looking over their shoulders to see who may be listening. This is not an atmosphere in which democracy can flourish. Making people afraid to say anything unpopular because their lives could be ruined is a recipe for totalitarianism. We need people who are willing to stand up to these politically correct mobs. If you believe in free speech, in the free exchange of ideas, and healthy debate, then join me in taking a stand against this plague of political correctness. Cast your write-in vote for Art Drew for President of the United States in 2016.