The Fairness Doctrine and Free Speech

If you are clapping because Don Imus was fired and dreaming of the day when Rosie O'Donnell hits the unemployment line, just remember there are people who are gunning for Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannitty, too. Thanks to the Reagan Administration and a veto by Reagan himself in 1987, the Fairness Doctrine was put in the grave, but there are many people out there who insist it be resurrected simply because they disagree with certain people's opinions. Rush Limbaugh's radio program reaches a lot of listeners, and this scares people on the left because they aren't just listening, they're becoming true believers. AM talk radio is just about the only place where you get a right wing perspective (don't shake your head at me, Al Franken, you know it's true, ), and these shows are continually growing because, not only are they virtually the only forum for conservatives, they are actually entertaining. They are also not always politically correct, which infuriates the left, the people who sold everyone on this tortured language we all have to use now to avoid getting sued or fired, and that's the ammunition they think they have. Still, it isn't so much about being "fair," or "PC," the Fairness Doctrine is about shutting the mouths of people who have a lot of influence and making sure there is only one opinion to be heard, and to me, that sounds like state-controlled media. Very unAmerican, wouldn't you say? It also flies in the face of free enterprise when government tells you what you are allowed to say, or that you must take valuable airtime away from your own message and give it to an opponent. Radio and television are private industries that get money from selling airtime, after all...that's what got Don Imus fired. His advertisers no longer wanted to be associated with him, so they yanked their ads, which cost MSNBC money. They stopped airing his simulcast, and CBS radio feared the same thing, so they canned him, too. Rush Limbaugh's advertisers can make that same judgement if they choose, they don't need a Federal law to gag him, because if he goes over the line, consumers will let them know. Freedom of speech is one of the most important parts of the Bill of Rights because once you silence people on the air or in print, you open the door to tyranny, and it's already knocking, ready to come in. Let Imus make fun of whomever he chooses, let Rosie claim the president is responsible for 9/11, and let the consumers decide if they want to buy that garbage. It's not government's place to shut them or anyone else up just because I disagree, and I would never support a law that claims otherwise. Remember, what people can't change with votes, they can change with their wallets and purses. I don't want to wake up in a country where I get sent to prison because I didn't let Al Gore comment on my blog. Still, in the interest of "fairness," I allow and encourage anyone to comment, because after all, free and open debate is one of our greatest national treasure. Enjoy it. Employ it. Defend it.