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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMemo To Conservatives: The First Amendment Does Not Entitle You To A Reality TV Show
The right to free speech isnt just a fundamental American value; its enshrined in the first amendment to our constitution. If only the most loud-mouthed among us actually understood what it says. Heres what the First Amendment offers: you can say, write or publish pretty much whatever you want, no matter how offensive (with a few exceptions), and the government cant step in and censor you or put you in jail. Heres what the first amendment doesnt do: allow you to say, write or publish whatever you want, no matter how offensive, and also entitle you to a giant pay check from your starring role on a cable reality TV show.
This isnt exactly Harvard-level legal theory, but many Republicans, Christian organizations and garden-variety tweeters enjoy spouting off about their love of freedom and the Constitution while remaining disturbingly unaware of what the Bill of Rights actually says and means. The right-wing passion for a set of ideals they claim to revere but remain ignorant of is not new, but its news again this week. Theyre up in arms at the suspension of Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson for a series of homophobic and bigoted remarks he made to GQ magazine. Professional consequences for bigoted comments, they say, violate the constitutional right to free speech.
Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal said:
Phil Robertson and his family are great citizens of the State of Louisiana. The politically correct crowd is tolerant of all viewpoints, except those they disagree with. I dont agree with quite a bit of stuff I read in magazine interviews or see on TV. In fact, come to think of it, I find a good bit of it offensive. But I also acknowledge that this is a free country and everyone is entitled to express their views.
Yes, everyone is entitled to express his or her views. Not everyone is entitled to keep their jobs, though, if they decide to express views that are entirely odious and potentially costly to their employer. Certainly the founders didnt mean free country as short-hand for free to be on the reality show of your choice.
Jindals argument that liberals are tolerant of everything except intolerance is Tweedle Dumb to the similarly vapid adage everyone is entitled to their opinion. Everyone has opinions; but why, exactly, are all opinions deserving of the same deference and respect? Especially when they come from people who cant tell the difference between promoting tolerance and respect of all human beings, and objecting when someone makes a comment that demonizes an already marginalized group?
MORE...
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/20/memo-to-conservatives-the-first-amendment-does-not-entitle-you-to-a-reality-tv-show/
tina tron
(160 posts)something they always accuse liberals of doing. No substance and projection that is their only hand.