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Tuesday, March 06, 2012

What about free speech?

Last week Rush Limbaugh clearly opened his mouth wide and stuck his foot in it. He almost swallowed it whole! A Georgetown Law School student testified before the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee on Thursday February 23 about contraception and health care coverage. According to reports*, Limbaugh called her a “slut” and a “prostitute.”

The internet is covered up with this topic on blogs and forums. I don't want to directly address the views of Sandra Fluke (the law student), with which I disagree, or the tirade of Limbaugh, with which I also disagree. What has caught my attention is the reaction of opponents of Limbaugh, who have turned this into a crusade to get all his sponsors to drop him and have him fail so as to go off the air (or get kicked off). This brings to mind the question to me what these crusaders believe about free speech.

Should Limbaugh have called the lady these names? No. From what I read in her transcript she really didn't even speak for herself, but rather for others.  Makes me wonder whether Rush even read or heard what she said?? But what about the mentality that is not satisfied to disagree with and condemn his speech, and even quit supporting those who sponsor him. No, they have launched a national campaign to pursue him until he is driven off the air. Perhaps I just can't comprehend it because I don't have a protest mentality. I'm not into "boycotting". There are plenty on the right that share this protest mentality with the left and also follow in hot pursuit whenever they smell blood in the water. Seems to me a more balanced view of free speech disagrees, debates -- maybe even sues if libel is involved -- but is not maniacally driven to see that someone's speech is completely shut down. Clearly those sharks pursuing Limbaugh now aren't just protecting and supporting Sandra Fluke -- they have an agenda and they hate Limbaugh's speech.


Or am I missing something?

[*Note: there is no question that he did so, I only word it this way because I didn't hear it myself.]

2 comments:

Tom Vaughn said...

No, I don't think you missed anything.
The fanatical left wing is full of venom, perhaps more so than the fanatical right wing.

R. L. Vaughn said...

You used to hear people talking about defending someone's right to say something, even if you don't agree. You don't hear that much anymore.