It’s disturbing.  Last week Brandon Eich resigned as CEO of Mozilla.   They are the company that operates the popular Firefox web browser.  Eich had been appointed to that position only a month before.  You can imagine his delight when he received the promotion.  And Mozilla was highly optimistic.

But somebody decided Mr. Eich could not be allowed to keep his job.  This somebody had to dig, and dig deliberately, and with passionate malice.  What had Mr. Eich done? 

Ah, he had committed the unpardonable sin.  Six years ago he had exercised his God-given and Constitutionally-guaranteed right to free speech.  He had contributed $1000 to the effort by 7.1 million Californians to enact California Proposition 8.  Proposition 8 defined marriage as between a man and a woman.

Never mind that Mr. Eich was not a crusader against homosexuals.  And never mind that Mozilla was an equal opportunity employer.  The very fact that Mr. Eich believed what the world has always believed until now--and dared to say it--required that he be destroyed. 

Not just debated.  Not just disagreed with.  But destroyed.  Homosexual activists mounted a campaign against him, threatened Mozilla with a boycott, and the corporation caved.  They forced their new CEO to resign.  He may never be able to work in the tech industry again.

Unalienable rights?  Free speech? Not for the political left.  Tolerance?  Not a chance.  You either agree with them all the way or they will take you down.   Crush you.  And the message is clear to everyone: “Stand against us and the same will happen to you.”

Every American who loves freedom should react with horror. 

Same sex marriage is not the only issue where the left declares everyone must fall into line.  They demand obedience to each of their causes.  Abortion is one of those.  You may not believe that a baby in the womb should be protected.  The environment is another.  You may not believe that global warming is questionable.  Still another is the right to own a gun.  They haven’t gotten all guns under the ban yet, but you know that’s what they want.

Obamacare is another.  You must purchase health insurance, whether or not you want it or need it or believe it violates your conscience.  Common Core curriculum in the schools is still another.  Add in the regulations leftist-controlled governments impose upon the smallest details of our lives.  And what about religious beliefs?  A sixth grade student I have taught expressed his faith at school the other day.  He said Christianity is the only true religion.  He was sent to the office.  Because we cannot have that idea running loose.

The left will have you toe the line or you will pay an intolerable price.

Suddenly it becomes clear why the the NSA wants to monitor every person’s phone records and emails. The left wants to know what you think.  Now you can see why the IRS continues to target conservative and religious groups.  They intend to enforce your compliance.  They will punish objectors.  They will intimidate you into silence.

Perhaps you disagree with Brian Eich.  Or with me on some issue.  That’s OK.  I don’t mind.  But the left sees it differently.  Theirs is the only opinion that can be allowed. 

Not so long ago when we encountered people like this, we called them totalitarians.  The Nazis built their concentration camps and fired up their ovens.  Stalin killed 40 million of his countrymen because they disagreed.  Mao and his Chinese Communists murdered 50 million people who would not comply.  Today’s Muslim extremists blow up innocent people to force their way.  I don’t see much difference.  Just lack of opportunity.  These people share the same path

The Bible complains in Psalm 94, “How long shall the wicked exult?  They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly; all who do wickedness vaunt themselves.  They crush your people, O Lord.  They afflict your heritage.  They slay the widow and the stranger, they murder the orphans.  And they have said, ‘The Lord does not see, nor does the God of Jacob pay heed.’” (v 3-7)

I hope you pay heed.  And by the way, don’t bet that God doesn’t see!

Dr. Rick Perrin is Chairman of the Board of World Reformed Fellowship and senior pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Cherry Hill NJ.  He writes a weekly blog called ReTHINK which may be accessed at www.rethinkingnews.wordpress.com. He may be contacted directly at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..