I won't go into rehashing the controversy revolving around this issue....if you don't
know about it, you've been under a rock. But...
Heard on CBC (CBC's The Current, which was simulcast on the 275 or so Pacifica
stations as part of a joint effort with Democracy Now.org) on 15 October
(
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2004/200410/20041015.html).
Cliff Kincaid (Accuracy in the Media) claims that a Kerry campaign spokesman warned
that "they'd better hope that we don't win." It's interesting to note that most
every reference to this quote comes from right-wing nutjob websites, who obviously
feel that free speech includes the right to use irresponsible, biased and sometimes
slanderous speech, and that Sinclair, in the execution of its First Amendment right,
can violate federal election law by promoting a candidate on their stations.
Well, we'll see. This may just be the straw that broke the camel's back, and if
Kerry wins, these folks may find a new, and more all-encompassing, Fairness Doctrine
returned to broadcasting. You right-wingers may have just gotten exactly the thing
you can't stand, as a result of your encouragement of irresponsible use of the public
trust to validate only those concepts you already believe. Shame, really. Blame
Hyman. Now you may end up having to hear the other side of the story more often.
Not that that's a restriction in your freedom of speech, and therefore NOT
censorship. Censorship is a limit on what can be said. A re-imposed Fairness
Doctrine would only mandate what must be said as well. Think about what you might
learn about, now!
(And we've already handled that broadcasting does not have full First Amendment
protections. So don't bother.)
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If there's nothing that offends you in your community, then you know you're not
living in a free society.
Kim Campbell - ex-Prime Minister of Canada - 2004
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