So called - Free Speech in the USA
American news begins with a red, white and blue flag flapping majestically in the air. THe USA promises freedom of speech , freedom of religion, freedoms of all freedoms in the land of milk and honey. But not for the those Muslims, or Atheists who have no morals but Christians are most welcome. Don't even think about challenging political figures in the USA. We'll ruin your career and make you out as the bad guy with our corrupt news!
Just look at celebrities who spoke their beliefs in the past and present. The Dixie Chicks for example. In 2003 the Dixie Chicks spoke out against George Bush's invasion of Iraq saying "they were ashamed George Bush came from Texas". Protests were held people were enraged, and their careers suffered greatly. They were called unpatriotic, and one man in this video at
( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ8WzYc32JQ) says "they should be shot for saying something like that". So much for "free speech" seems like the USA is closer to the society in 1984 or Brave New World then a free society. They are told to "shut up" ...hmm so much for expressing ones opinion. The following video is a trailer from "shut up and sing" a movie made on the controversy of the statement by the Dixie Chicks:
FOX news continues to put on "patriotic"material. This "patriotic" material is unhonest, censored, immature and viscous. In this video straight from FOX news greg gutfeld from Red Eye attacks FOX New's latest target Rosie O'donnell. The story name is notably called "Rosie's War on FOX". Greg brutally jokes Rosie is going under inversion therapy where "for 20-30 minutes she hangs up side down like a fat, lesbian , vampire bat". FOX, ABC and Donald Trump continues to insult Rosie's sexual orientation, and weight which has nothing to do with her words about FOXs newcasters or 9/11 (which she believes is a possible conspiracy).
Don't bother trying to post any opinions other than " Rosie is a fat bitch" under this video because all comments "must be approved" before posted. Much like the news this particular member of YouTube has taken to censoring opposing views on the video they have posted.
And just because she commented that it was odd that the 3rd tower fell down with nothing hitting it and she said that Christian radicals were just as dangerous as Muslim radicals she is now said to be "defending terrorists". Check out this video.
If this is the way the USA chooses to present their news it's no wonder that everything on the show is so one sided, no one of the opposite opinion would get on to voice theirs. Even the newscasters are bias for God's sake.
2 comments:
So let me get this straight - when the Dixie Chicks or Rosie say what they said, it's free speech, but when people criticize them, or boycott their products, it's not?
It's all free speech. As far as I know, nobody has ever said that Rosie or the Chicks don't have the right to say whatever the hell they want - but you seem to think that freedom of speech means you can say what you want and not suffer consequences. Uh uh - nowhere in the Constitution does it say that, nor should it.
Whether it's Mel Gibson or George Bush or George Clooney or Natalie Maines, your speech gets judged. And there's nothing more American than deciding you're not gonna see "Apocalypto" because you think Gibson's an antisemite, or deciding not to buy a ticket to a Dixie Chicks concert because you think it's wrong to tell an overseas crowd that you're ashamed the President is from your home state.
You don't have to agree with either of those decisions, just as you don't have to agree with the original speech. You just can't pass a law against any of it.
Personally I think the Dixie Chicks are not all that bright if they didn't realize that saying what they said would piss off a lotta country fans. But they have every right to not be all that bright.
And if ABC wants to continue to subsidize Rosie's asinine conspiracy theories, that's their right, just as it's every television viewer's right to decide that they do or don't want to support such statements, or whether they don't give a damn.
In my opinion there is a difference between freedom of speech and hate speech. When Rosie expressed her thoughts about Christian radicals and 9/11 was expressing a point of view. When she questioned Trumps moral authority that was freedom of speech. When Trump and FOX news publically attacked her sexual orientation and weight (which had nothing to do with her comments) calling her a "fat lesbo" that was hate speech and was uncalled for.
When the Dixie Chicks expressed their disapproval and shamefulness of George Bush they were exercising their right to question a political leader. When people boycotted them that was their right, but some citizens crossed the line to hate speech when saying "they should be shot" etc.
In Western culture we are able to exercise free speech and not hate speech, no one deserves to be publically degraded or discriminated against. Especially not by the media that is supposed to be just and unbias. I'm not saying that what these stars said was right or wrong I'm just saying that there is a difference between a person expressing a view or a concern and words that are just plain malicious.
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