OPINION:
The desperate quest for fame brings out the worst in people, especially on Internet websites such as Instagram. Stories of young, fame-sick people falling from cliff-tops in search of that perfect “selfie” are particularly tragic.
Then there are sad cases of people like Dan Bailey out in Livingston, Montana — one of those places that is proof that God loves us and wants us to enjoy life here on Earth. Instead of enjoying life in the cool streams of Montana, however, Mr. Bailey sought Internet fame.
He saw his chance for Instagram gold when Tucker Carlson of Fox News walked in.
Mr. Bailey began stalking Mr. Carlson, who was there with his daughter on a fishing trip, intent on enjoying all that God had provided under the Big Sky. After stalking Mr. Carlson down the aisles of a fly shop, Mr. Bailey struck.
“Dude, you are the worst human being known to mankind,” says Mr. Bailey, all the while ensuring that his 23 seconds of fame would be captured on video by a confederate, presumably using a cell phone camera.
At one point, Mr. Carlson glances over and realizes that the whole spectacle is a big set up for Internet fame and offers a charitable smile for the video stalker. He even quietly advises Mr. Bailey that he is there with his child — a gentle hint that any decent person would have gotten.
“I don’t care, man,” Mr. Bailey revealed.
Throughout, Mr. Carlson is unfailingly polite. He tells Mr. Bailey that he “appreciates” his opinions but does not wish to debate him at that moment.
No matter.
Mr. Bailey got his video and posted the exchange on Instagram along with a bunch of pound signs, vulgarity, and hysterically partisan slogans. Mr. Bailey’s 23-second brush with fame was a huge success. His video was viewed 329,000 times on Instagram. It racked up more than 73,000 “likes” and 29,000 comments.
All of this is perfectly legal, of course. It is a free country, after all. You walk down the street at your own peril, especially if you are a recognizable person. There is no such thing as a “safe space” from free speech. And the ubiquity of cell phones with advanced cameras means everything can be captured and virally blasted around the globe in an instant.
Nobody understands this better and fights for these rights more than Mr. Carlson himself. He welcomes debate. He has devoted his entire professional life to the pursuit of open and honest debate.
He is the most fierce defender of free speech in America today. (A simple “thank you” from Mr. Bailey would have sufficed.)
You may disagree with Tucker Carlson’s views and many good, honest, loyal Americans do. He would be the first to recognize that. But his devotion to seeking the truth — and his respect for those who disagree with him — is such that he would never be cowed from debate out of fear or coercion.
But we are more than just a nation of laws. We are also a nation of unwritten rules that are not — and should not be — enforced by police or other legal authorities. These unwritten rules are called “manners.” Or, “common decency.”
These rules are taught by parents and teachers, neighbors, and churches. These rules are so obvious — and obviously good for society — that normal people are naturally inclined to adopt them even if they were not specifically taught them by their parents.
These unspoken rules are the backbone of society. Simple and self-enforced, the rules are the fragile veil between a free, open, and joyful society and a dark, oppressive, brutish, and miserable one.
Mr. Carlson stands on one side of the veil. Mr. Bailey stands on the other.
If we as a country have any hope for self-governance, we must begin by governing ourselves and abiding by these rules of common decency. Only then may we feast at the banquet of freedom and beauty God provides us in places like Livingston, Montana.
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