In his inaugural address, President Obama said, “To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history.” I would like to believe he meant what he said. However, many in his party, including former president, Bill Clinton and U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., are calling for the very thing Obama said would put governments and leaders on the wrong side of history; “silencing dissent.” The means of silencing the voices of dissent is through the resurrection of the so called ‘Fairness Doctrine.’
The thinly disguised motive of those seeking resurrect this arcane assault on the First Amendment is the destruction of Conservative Talk Radio. Now, whatever you may think of Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh, ask yourself, is it the business the government to decide what you and I can and cannot listen to. Even more frightening, Waxman has verbally toyed with idea of regulating Internet content as well.
In the early 90’s local officials in one city decided to take off the shelves of music stores the Album by 2 Live Crew, called As Nasty as We Want to Be, because it was said to violate local profanity laws. You would have taught the whole constitution was under attack. For weeks, liberal talking heads on MTV, and in main stream editorial writers talked non-stop about the dangers of censorship. But where are those of liberal spirit now? Where are the classic liberals, who like Voltaire, were willing to say: “I disagree strongly with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
Will today’s freedom fighters come out in defense of 2 Live Crew but not for the right of millions of Americans to listen to opinions that differ from the current administration? Perhaps you, the reader, do not like what I and other American’s listen to on the radio. So what? I may not like what you listen to; but, I have no intent on using the Federal Government to regulate your listening choices.
But if none of these arguments make any difference to you, then let me appeal to you in the words of the hippie movement: “Hey man, don’t censor me,” or my radio.
The thinly disguised motive of those seeking resurrect this arcane assault on the First Amendment is the destruction of Conservative Talk Radio. Now, whatever you may think of Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh, ask yourself, is it the business the government to decide what you and I can and cannot listen to. Even more frightening, Waxman has verbally toyed with idea of regulating Internet content as well.
In the early 90’s local officials in one city decided to take off the shelves of music stores the Album by 2 Live Crew, called As Nasty as We Want to Be, because it was said to violate local profanity laws. You would have taught the whole constitution was under attack. For weeks, liberal talking heads on MTV, and in main stream editorial writers talked non-stop about the dangers of censorship. But where are those of liberal spirit now? Where are the classic liberals, who like Voltaire, were willing to say: “I disagree strongly with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
Will today’s freedom fighters come out in defense of 2 Live Crew but not for the right of millions of Americans to listen to opinions that differ from the current administration? Perhaps you, the reader, do not like what I and other American’s listen to on the radio. So what? I may not like what you listen to; but, I have no intent on using the Federal Government to regulate your listening choices.
But if none of these arguments make any difference to you, then let me appeal to you in the words of the hippie movement: “Hey man, don’t censor me,” or my radio.
+(2).jpg)
0 comments:
Post a Comment