Irresponsible Free Speech

It seems free speech issues are at the center of the bulls eye at the moment. Don Imus, and JV and Elvis lost their jobs over jokes. Opie and Anthony were suspended for 30 days, following comments made by a man during an on the street interview on satellite radio. If the jokes were funny or not is a matter of opinion, but they were jokes none the less. I am Polish and I grew up hearing Polish jokes. It never occurred to me to be offended. It certainly never entered my mind that the people telling these jokes were anti-Polish people. It seems that it is humor that is being banned. Why do I say this?

The answer is Rosie O'Donnell.

Rosie has been saying hateful comments on ABC's The View for months. Her comments are not being said in jest. Her comments are driven by her deep rooted hatred for President Bush. As an American, Rosie O'Donnell has a right to free speech. Perhaps ABC should be held up as a champion in the media of first amendment rights. However, there is a point where free speech goes too far. A person can't yell "Fire" in a movie theater or "Bomb" on an airplane. Those things are clear, but where is the line to be drawn in other places? It is a slippery slope, that is true. But in my opinion, that line needs to be drawn when it threatens the security and safety of others.

I didn't like when O'Donnell stated her opinion that the United States was behind the 9/11 attacks. But as an event from the past, those words were hurtful but not dangerous. Although not a joke, I don't think a person needs to be silenced because they hurt feelings.

Not long after that O'Donnell stated that when the British sailors were taken and held captive by Iran, it was all a plan. Of course, she was proven incorrect (yet never apologized for her claim, yet the radio jocks all apologized for their jokes and were still taken off the air). I do think she should have been silenced after this comment because such comments could have put those people at more of a risk. They were still being held by their captors. Making such a claim could have easily cost those people their lives. Yet ABC and Barbara Walters didn't feel it was important enough to reprimand her. Since then O'Donnell's comments have become more wild and more irresponsible. Most recently calling our brave men and women serving in Iraq terrorists.

This is a transcript of the exchange between Rosie and her co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck on 05/17/07 which took place on The View:


O'DONNELL: …… I just want to say something. 655,000 Iraqi civilians are dead. Who are the terrorists?

HASSELBECK: Who are the terrorists?

O'DONNELL: 655,000 Iraqis — I’m saying you have to look, we invaded –

HASSELBECK: Wait, who are you calling terrorists now? Americans?

O’DONNELL: I’m saying if you were in Iraq, and the other country, the United States, the richest in the world, invaded your country and killed 655,000 of your citizens, what would you call us?

HASSELBECK: Are we killing their citizens or are their people also killing their citizens?

O’DONNELL: We’re invading a sovereign nation, occupying a country against the U.N.

I think this should have been the end of Rosie on The View, ABC and the media general. The act of terrorism is a crime. Terrorists are criminals. Ms. O'Donnell accused American military members of being criminals! A person should not be given a podium where they can lob false charges against people on national television. Perhaps Rosie should have charges brought against her for making false charges.

So, after a review and much thought, ABC isn't a champion for free speech. ABC is a supporter of irresponsible speech.