Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Being a writer in the area of socio-political commentary, it goes without saying that I'm going to offend people. The snarks I post on this blog are proof of that (search for "snarks" in the Key Words on the left-hand side of the blog to see a few). I think it was Rush Limbaugh who said something like, You can't be successful until half the nation hates your guts.

That's why I've always admired Dr. Laura. Her no-nonsense in-your-face opinions - even when I disagree with them, which is seldom - are just the kind of common sense advice and commentary people need to hear. Which is why, of course, half the nation hates her guts.

Today on her blog she posted this commentary. It's well worth reading.

11 comments:

  1. While vacationing in WA state this summer I came out of a store to find a very nasty note stuck under my windshield wiper. Apparently some person decided my anti-Obama bumper sticker was offensive and called me everything from despicable to racist on this hastily written note ( they had to write quick in case I came out of the store and caught them), then demanded I remove the sticker and go back where I came from.

    Hows that for tolerance and freedom of speech in America, eh?

    And to think we had just gone and spent a whole bunch of our despicable, racist money in their piss ant little town. Blech.

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  2. This doesn't just happen with speech, it includes actions, too. Other people who don't like how some people act give just as much grief as words spoken.

    It's another example of entitlement in action, people who feel entitled to more than anyone else. I consider that attitude to be the real downfall of the USA, it creeps into more areas than the "squeaky wheels" attention grabbers most people attribute to our problems. Entitled-junkies will bring the downfall.

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  3. I never did much listen to Dr. Laura and I won't now as I don't have satellite radio. Still all in all I agree with her on the things that offended the offended class. I guess I'm an offender too, just like I'm a right-wing extremist registered with the white house. Look at my post on blogger here or oneangrytaxpayer.org. I got a lot of agreement and some hate mail too. I keep checking that pesky Constitution of the United States, but I can't find the clause that says you have the right not to be offended.

    Ken

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  4. This is an excellent article by Dr. Laura. I've posted it on my Facebook page. I just can't believe what's happening in this country. It's terrifying.
    Kay

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  5. I've been a working newspaper journalist for the past 30 years. Believe me when I tell you I've seen it all.

    In regard to this thread, I'm reminded of the time I editorialized against my city's attempt to increase sales tax for some boondoggle or another. I got a call at home late one Sunday evening from a city council member. The gist of his comment to me was that I should keep my opinions to myself, "for the good of the community."

    All that did was spur me to convene a meeting of concerned citizens and rally them to protest en masse against the city's attempt to levy yet another tax. We won.

    Camping on the "half the nation hates her guts" statement, I've often said that at any given time half the readers hate our guts, and the other half loves us. Then, invariably, six months later they switch sides.

    I remember one time a lady (term used loosely) stood in my newspaper office so angry at me for editorializing against abortion that she was spitting all over me in her rage. Six months later I editorialized for something that she approved of, and you wouldn't believe the sweet letter I received from her thanking me.

    Another time, a planning commission member complained that I should do more investigative stories. Of course he had a particular someone in mind that he wanted my newspaper to take down. Funny thing is, two weeks later this same planning commission member had his mug on our front page in a huge investigative story for his violating our state's open meeting law.

    I love my profession. But, I tell you that conservative, Christian, homeschooling journalists are a virtually extinct species. God bless those, like Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura, etc., who stick it out despite the not-so-veiled threats by the government to shut them down.

    Dave

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  6. Dr. Laura is not only speaking about her own situation, but she is also alluding to the "Fairness Doctrine."

    The "Fairness Doctrice" is anything but fair. (Beware the twisting of words in order to fool the unaware.) The government is indeed trying to silence people, and not just on the radio.

    One thing about the progressives, they will not rest. They will not quit. They will not take "NO" for an answer. We must remain vigilant if we want to retain our freedoms.

    First, those who would seek the end of free speech will try to silence the radio, television, and internet voices that express different views from theirs. Then they will silence ours. We are headed to statism - where the government controls everything we do, see, hear, read, say, buy, and think. If that is what you want, do nothing. If you prefer to retain your God-given freedoms, speak out while you still can.

    Anonymous Patriot
    USA

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  7. Gma-T....don't tell me. Let me guess...Port Townsend?? Or maybe Port Angeles? There are more pro-Obama posters STILL UP in yards and windows in Port Townsend than the whole surrounding area of two counties. I avoid the place because it's overrun with Seattle freaks and California transplants that drag their nasty radical Berkely-brained politics up here with them. To say the atmosphere is one of intolerance is a serious understatement. I'm relieved all you encountered was a nasty note written by a coward. It could have been worse, and I apologize for how you were treated in this state, regardless of where it happened.

    We helped out with the local "community" radio station start-up a few years ago, and I had great hopes of rekindling my broadcast career as a producer or talk show host. Once the station was up and running I went in to produce some commercials and continue my discussions with the station manager. It took only one trip to their studios to realize they were so choked off by their fear of the FCC and its stranglehold on their license that they all walked around on egg shells for fear of being reported. And needless to say, their on-air product reflects this perversely fearful environment. It was a real shock to see the extent to which they micro-managed every word spoken, written or aired. I don't think I've ever experienced a more paranoid atmosphere.

    I no longer write letters to the editor, speak at public meetings or write to my U.S. Senators.
    All are now dangerous activities.

    Just as Esau traded his birthright for a bowl of his brother's pottage, America has sold out to a feel-good illusion of instant, unearned gratification.

    I'm not a fan or a listener, but Dr. Laura is to be commended and thanked for her decision to remain in broadcasting. She didn't retreat. She just reloaded.

    A.McSp

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  8. I can't find who to attribute this quote to. I Believe it may have been W. Churchhill.

    "I don't agree with your opinion, but I will fight to the death for your right to have it."

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  9. To Anonymous 12:15, it was French enlightenment writer Voltaire that said, "I do not agree with a word you say but will defend to the death your right to say it." It was Voltaire and several others who laid the foundations that our Constitutional framers used to write our Constitution. Even though I am student teaching, I did have the chance to use some of the ideas of these outspoken men and women when covering the chapter to let these young people know that they have a great birthright to our Constitution and they should be on guard for anyone who tries to take it away from them. I can only hope that I got through.

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  10. The trouble for me is that Dr Laura loses all credibility from the start when she talks about "regaining her 1st Amendment rights". Her getting slammed for her "n-word" filled ranting didn't have a damn thing to do with anyone's First Amendment rights. She was not censored or punished by the government, she was criticized for saying something stupid. The First Amendment protects only against government action. It also protects the right to criticize people. It seems by her own idiotic "reasoning" that she is begrudging the First Amendment rights of those who dared to criticize her.

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  11. Quedula--Did you bother to read the quotes in her article about people who DO want to control and govern speech? One of our OWN elected politicians, for pete's sake--campaigned to have news outlets shut down! It sounds like you focusing on a small aspect of the argument while conveniently ignoring the larger threat.

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