Commentary Americans are witnessing attacks by the “progressive” left on some of our oldest and most treasured rights. These include not only constitutional rights such as free speech and freedom of religion, but some even older than the Constitution itself. Until recently, a consensus spanning the political spectrum protected these guarantees. But to the authoritarians of the new American left, nothing is sacred. Attacks on Rights Older Than the Constitution Last year, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the powerful House Homeland Security Committee, made a stunning suggestion. It pertained to members of Congress who, during the Jan. 6, 2021 electoral vote count, favored investigating the election results. Thompson suggested they should be placed on the national terrorist “no-fly” list. Thompson either didn’t know or didn’t care about the Constitution’s Speech and Debate Clause (Article I, Section 6, Clause 1). Based on a provision in the 1689 English Bill of …