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.

At Least He's Not In Rehab...

I wasn't going to bring it up, because there are already enough people talking about it, but now that Imus has been fired, I may as well put in my two cents worth, so here goes. Look, I never even listened to the guy, but I know what shock jocks are and what they do, so I'm sure this wasn't his first brush with controversy. That's why people listen to them. The name says it all, they shock people by saying things you can't say in the locker room, let alone on radio. Plenty of people are arguing on the AM call-in shows as to whether or not what he said was racist, so I'll not tackle the issue. Personally, I can understand, even if it isn't racist, how being called a "nappy headed ho" would ruffle some one's feathers, but here's why I'm even bothering to address the issue; this is proof that if you don't like what people are saying, you can shut them up by getting them fired. Under the same line of thinking, maybe Rosie O'Donnell should be fired, too. If Imus likes, he can always take the issue to the ACLU and debate "freedom of speech" in a court of law, but, frankly, I think they'd tell him to go fly a kite. You see, to some people, freedom of speech only goes as far as political correctness, i.e. whether people can sue you over it or not, which is why everyone who gets caught by the pc watchdog press must quickly apologise and go into rehab. "I didn't mean it! That wasn't me! I'm a drunk!" Sure. It would be more honest if these people apologised by saying, "sorry I'm a bigot," not "sorry I said it." Having said that, I still believe that, as Americans, everyone has the right to be a hateful moron and say so. I, as an American, have the right to think they are human garbage and say so by turning off the radio, but I won't boycott or call on anyone to be fired just because I disagree with them. Let the ratings speak for themselves, that's what I say. If I'm aloud to say it, I mean. The bottom line, people, is that our Bill of Rights guarantees you the right to be a moron and say stupid things other people may be offended by, even Rosie, even Imus. Yes, the right to have opinions, especially unpopular ones, the right to speak freely, even speech you hate, should be respected, because you never know when the times will change and the things you say become unpopular or illegal. Frankly, I've worked in places over the years where every person there could have been fired for being offensive, but then I guess it just depends on how thick your skin is as to whether or not you take it up with the HR department. Imus is a big mouth and a jackass, and I can't say i feel too sorry for him, but I have to give him this...at least he didn't check into rehab like the other celebrity freak shows.