Be thankful you were not a pioneer in America. Life on the western frontier was brutal—few comforts, no law, and danger everywhere.

In the midst of that arose "frontier justice," where settlers dished out punishments to perceived miscreants without much deliberation. Steal a horse; you could be hanged by the neck until dead. Commit a violent crime; termination by the mob was common. In many places, the presumption of innocence did not exist.

Today, the mob mentality has returned to the United States driven by social media, where there are few protections. Anonymous "trolls" can assassinate individual characters, destroy businesses, and even threaten personal safety.

Few police agencies have the resources to investigate, and internet companies generally deny responsibility for injustice. The mob knows it can inflict grave damage to people with little risk.

Hello, Tombstone.

Freedom of Speech is now being used against the American people. Let's count the ways. Good people who might want to run for office are often dissuaded because they will likely be smeared and their families seared. Few candidates escape that.

Continue Reading on BillOReilly.com