The British are likely one of our closest allies. In many ways we are more closely connected to them than to any other nation across the seas. Historically, culturally, by faith, by language, by philosophical underpinnings – we and the Brits are like long separated brothers. The differences that did develop between us are the things that insulated and protected us from the degrading powers of European socialism. Because of this, we are behind on their political trends – which is a very good thing.

Being behind should, in theory, allow us to learn from their mistakes. For example, the Brit’s National Healthcare System (NHS) is a disaster, so we never have to try it because we’ve already seen it doesn’t really work. (Oh, wait… we are trying it… and it’s a disaster for us too. Hmmm… wish we could have seen that coming.)

We didn’t pay attention to the problems with socialized medicine, but hopefully we will pay attention to the danger that socialism poses to free speech.

Here is just the latest example of the British war on free speech.

Neil Phillips, a sandwich shop owner, was arrested and brought into the police station for questioning. He was detained and questioned for over eight hours. While he was being held, he was also finger-printed and swabbed for his DNA. He also had his personal computer seized from his home, and the police held on to it for three weeks. What was the horrible crime that Mr. Phillips committed to earn the ire of the local police? He made some bad jokes about Nelson Mandela on the internet, while Mandela lay sick and dying in South Africa.

Let me repeat that. He was arrested. Questioned for eight hours. Finger-printed. Swabbed of his DNA. And had his computer confiscated for three weeks.

All because he made some jokes about Nelson Mandela in an online forum.

“It was an awful experience. I was fingerprinted, they took DNA and my computer. ‘It was a couple of jokes, Bernard Manning type. There was no hatred. You can question the taste, but they’re not hateful. I told the police they got plenty of “likes”. What happened to freedom of speech? I think they over-reacted massively. Those jokes are “out there”, anyway. When they took my computer, I thought, “what the hell are they looking for?” To be questioned would have been over the top, never mind arrested. They are jokes that I cut-and-pasted,’ insisted Mr Phillips. ‘I didn’t make them up and I didn’t put them on a public site. You have to sign-up and join. It’s turning into the thought police – you can’t do this, you can’t do that.”

Are you wondering how the law became aware of Mr. Phillips possibly “criminal” behavior? It was your typical liberal free-speech hater and he just happens to be a politician.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Tim Jones was so incensed by the one-liners, aired at a time when Mandela was critically ill, that he made an official complaint.

Liberals can whine and moan all they want about civil liberties – but the truth of the matter is they really don’t care.

Look around, America. Wherever you see attacks on civil liberties today, they are spearheaded by liberal, nanny-state governments. Whether in uber-liberal cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago or Washington, D.C., or in super liberal states like New York, California, and Illinois. They are banning sugary drinks, tobacco, free speech, religious liberties and anything else they don’t like.

This time folks, let’s learn the lesson the British are trying to teach us and shut down these liberal attacks on liberty before they take a hold on our laws. If we don’t, we’ll soon learn firsthand what it’s like to be arrested for telling dumb jokes.