Why We Whisper: Restoring Our Right to Say It's Wrong

by Jim DeMint, J. David Woodard

Americans today live in the greatest nation the world has ever known. Never before has a country been the producer, and beneficiary, of so much wealth and freedom. But with great success comes even greater responsibility. Part of the American legacy is to pass our values to our posterity, as well as to future generations in other nations. To meet this responsibility, the next generation must understand what made America great, what is working, what is not working, and how to improve all the ideas that contributed to past success. No factor is more important in this task than our freedom of speech. This right is both a means and an end to improving and strengthening the nation.

Why We Whisper is about free speech in America, but not "freedom of speech" as it is often defined today. It is not the freedom to practice destructive behavior or to produce obscene material. This book is about freedom of speech as it was intended by the visionaries who designed the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment empowers Americans to join the public and political debate with their ideas and values, including those traditional ideas and values that have made America great. This fundamental freedom is under attack, and unless principled Americans fight back, our grandchildren and future generations around the world will receive a greatly diminished inheritance.

United States Senator Jim DeMint and Professor David Woodard compellingly demonstrate that through court rulings, bureaucratic pronouncements, and well-intentioned, but ultimately unhelpful laws, secular values have allied with government authority to dismantle the ideals of a moral and decent nation. A country once confident of its values and optimistic about its future is now pessimistic, nervous, and confused. Traditional American institutions like the Boy Scouts, churches, businesses, college campuses, and public schools are routinely targeted for attack and government regulation. As a result, morally responsible, patriotic Americans are

256 pages, Hardcover

First published December 6, 2007

About the author

James Warren "Jim" DeMint (born September 2, 1951) is an American politician who was a United States Senator from South Carolina from 2005 to 2013. He is a member of the Republican Party and a leading member in the Tea Party movement. He previously served as the United States Representative for South Carolina's 4th congressional district from 1999 to 2005. DeMint resigned from the Senate on January 1, 2013, to become president of The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

DeMint was born in Greenville, South Carolina, one of four children. His parents, Betty W. (née Rawlings) and Thomas Eugene DeMint,[5] divorced when he was five years old.[6] Following the divorce, Betty DeMint operated a dance studio out of the family's home.[7][8]

DeMint was educated at Christ Church Episcopal School and Wade Hampton High School in Greenville. DeMint played drums for a cover band called Salt & Pepper. He received a bachelor's degree in 1973 from the University of Tennessee, where he was a part of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, and received an MBA in 1981 from Clemson University. DeMint's wife Debbie is one of three children of Greenville advertising entrepreneur James Marvin Henderson, Sr.

DeMint joined his father-in-law’s advertising firm in Greenville in 1981, working in the field of market research. In 1983, he founded The DeMint Group, a research firm with businesses, schools, colleges, and hospitals as clients. DeMint’s first involvement in politics began in 1992, when he was hired by Republican Representative Bob Inglis in his campaign for South Carolina’s Fourth Congressional District. Inglis defeated three-term incumbent Democrat Liz J. Patterson, and DeMint performed message-testing and marketing for Inglis through two more successful elections. In 1998, Inglis ran for the U.S. Senate, and DeMint left his firm to run for Inglis’ old seat.

DeMint was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1999 and served South Carolina’s Fourth Congressional District until 2005, when he was elected to the U.S. Senate. His peers elected him to be president of his GOP freshman class. DeMint pledged to serve only three terms in the House, and in 2003 he announced his run for the Senate seat of outgoing Democrat Ernest Hollings in the 2004 election cycle.

In November 2004, DeMint defeated Inez Tenenbaum, South Carolina's education superintendent, to fill Ernest Hollings' vacated seat in the 109th United States Congress. For his first term, he was appointed to the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee, the Joint Economic Committee, and the Special Committee on Aging. In 2006, DeMint began leading the Senate Steering Committee. DeMint also served as a member of the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. In 2008, DeMint formed the Senate Conservatives Fund, a political action committee with the intention of supporting conservative candidates that may have otherwise been overlooked by the national party.

As a member of the 111th United States Congress, DeMint joined the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. In 2009, DeMint was one of two Senators who voted against Hillary Clinton's appointment to Secretary of State, and the next year he introduced legislation to completely repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare. Later in 2010, he introduced another piece of legislation titled the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny, which aimed to require congressional approval of any major regulation change made by a federal agency. At the end of his first term, DeMint was appointed to the Senate Impeachment Trial Committee regarding the impeachment of federal judge Thomas Porteous.

DeMint was reelected in 2010, at which time he became the highest-ranking elected official associated with the Tea Party. During the first year of his

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 1 out of 5]

To call this book alarmist would be to compliment the composure and poise of the authors at the expense of the English language. It is an overblown attempt to instill fear and paranoia in its readers. In fact, the book's premise, with apologies to FDR, might well be summarized as "the only thing we have to sell is fear itself."

I'm embarrassed that the primary author is a U.S. Senator. I am humiliated that the second author is a political scientist.

[Bernie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good review of how political correctness and the threat of lawsuits keeps institutions and the general public from speaking out for common sense and logic. Of particular interest is the practice of SLAPP--- Strategic Lawsuits (or the threat of one) Against Public Participation. A tactic that the left uses to force thier agenda on unwilling organizations. Well worth the read.

[Atchisson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating examination of the intimidation utilized by the left to try and silence true conviction when it is not of their beliefs or even dissension when it is in direct opposition. If and when he runs for higher office (probably in 2012), expect to hear some of these same ideas revisited.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sen. DeMint presents a compelling argument as to how and why the removal or moral values from our public discourse is the cause for most of our social ills. He also argues that exercising our rights of free speech in favor of moral government and also insisting on alternatives options to government education (private, charter, parochial, and home scholling) to help instill morals in the rising generation.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will enlighten any American. I happen to be of the conservative persuasion, but the issues in this book apply to both ends of the spectrum.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not rating this book yet because I never finished it. I'm just not in the mood right now - I guess it's not overly interesting if I don't feel like finishing it though~