Sarah Palin - Free speech means you can say any stupid, racist, hateful, homophobic thing you want

[TeamPooka]

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/12/sarah-palin-duck-dynasty-defense-101319.html

Sarah Palin says the suspension of one of the stars of the show “Duck Dynasty” over recent anti-gay comments he made is an attack on free speech.

Palin re-posted a picture of her meeting with the stars of the A&E show on her Facebook page Wednesday night, writing that “intolerants” were behind the suspension of the show’s patriarch, Phil Robertson.

“Free speech is an endangered species. Those ‘intolerants’ hatin’ and taking on the Duck Dynasty patriarch for voicing his personal opinion are taking on all of us,” Palin wrote.
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Free speech also means other citizens can call you out for every stupid, racist, hateful, homophobic thing you say.

[gort]

1. Martin Bashir excepted.

The stoopid. It burns.

[TeamPooka]

2. yup

[Demobrat]

3. I actually prefer that people say what they think out loud.

Even if it is stupid, racist, hateful, and/or homophobic. Because then I know what I'm dealing with. Better that than a smile to my face and a knife in my back.
This guy is absolutely entitled to his opinion, and the network is absolutely entitled to kick his ass out if it causes their viewers to change the station.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

4. Hey Sarah! You're an idiot. Free speech is protected from government intrusion

TV producers, private companies, and families can place limits on what a person is allowed to say without consequences.

[TeamPooka]

5. Martin Bashir insults Sarah Palin, she calls his firing "fair" and "just".

Duck Dynasty guy insults LGBT community and African Americans, Sarah defends free speech.

This is why Republicans aren't allowed to have Presidents anymore.

[Lint Head]

6. So..... what the duck calling ignorant redneck said wasn't intolerant? I'm corn-fused!

Sarah. So, only bigots and racists are tolerant?

You're entering a dimension. A dimension of sight and sound. Look it's that signpost up ahead. You're entering The Palin Zone.

[Blue Owl]

7. This from someone who daily yells "fire" in the political theater

[Kingofalldems]

8. They want their minions to believe the government silenced these punks.

[TeamPooka]

9. good point

[Agnosticsherbet]

10. Private companies and organizations can constitutionally intrude on their employees’ freedom

of speech both in and outside of the workspace. The Dick from Duck Dynasty can go piss up a rope. Personally, I think corporations should be bound by the Constitution when it comes to all individual liberties, especially freedom of speech, but they aren't.

[Nye Bevan]

11. Did I miss when that guy was arrested for what he said? (nt)

[Gothmog]

12. The First Amendment only applies to State Actors

Unless there is a governmental entity involved in the censorship decision, the First Amendment does not apply. The First Amendment only applies to censorship done by a federal, state or local governmental entity and does not apply to private parties such TV networks. This is basic constitutional law.

[TeamPooka]

13. sure, explain the Constitution to Sarah Palin....

then teach my pig to dance.

[Gothmog]

15. Here is a good explanation of the state actor requirement

Here is a brief explanation of this requirement from Cornell Law School http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/state_action_requirement

The state action requirement stems from the fact that the constitutional amendments which protect individual rights (especially the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment) are mostly phrased as prohibitions against government action. For example, the First Amendment states that “[c]ongress shall make no law” infringing upon the freedoms of speech and religion. Because of this requirement, it is impossible for private parties (citizens or corporations) to violate these amendments, and all lawsuits alleging constitutional violations of this type must show how the government (state or federal) was responsible for the violation of their rights. This is referred to as the state action requirement.

While this is simple by my standards, I doubt that Palin will be able to understand this concept

[TeamPooka]

16. dance pig, dance.

[MiniMe]

14. The government hasn't done a thing regarding this, only A&E

Sarah, your employer has the right to get rid of you for any stupid, racist, hateful, homophobic thing that you say.

[TeamPooka]

17. yup

[napkinz]

18. hey Sarah ...

[napkinz]

19. conservative hypocrisy ...

[spanone]

20. so where was she when martin bashir needed some tolerance? eh sarah? free speech and all...

[TeamPooka]

21. freedom is a one way street with her.

[spanone]

22. evidently...