Freedom of Speech Must Not Knuckle Under to the Liberal Left

Last week we saw firsthand a vicious salvo in the liberal left’s ongoing efforts to silence anyone who does not abide by the liberal left’s requirement that every public commentator engage in politically correct speech or remain silent.

Juan Williams, a liberal commentator on National Public Radio, and a contributor to FOX News, made comments on The O’Reilly Factor to the effect that he feels some apprehension when boarding a flight and seeing Muslims dressed in traditional Muslim garb.  He went on to say that we must not let our apprehensions impede our duty to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans, including Muslims.

I have flown a number of times over the last ten years, and like Juan Williams, when I encounter other travelers dressed in traditional Muslim garb, I experience a moment of apprehension.  After the events of September 11th, 2001, the idea that any American would not feel some apprehension would seem to me to be the opinion that is out of kilter with reality.  I feel the same way when I encounter a traveler with a shaved head and tattoos suggestive of a white supremacist leaning.  However, regardless of any apprehension, I treat everyone I encounter with respect.

National Public Radio, apparently bowing to pressure from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, terminated Juan Williams’ contract following his appearance on The O’Reilly Factor.

It seems that the Council of American-Islamic Relations, along with such other liberal bastions as MoveOn.org, feels that the 1st Amendment only applies when the opinions expressed are in line with its opinions.

In announcing Juan Williams' termination, National Public Radio's President and CEO, Vivian Schiller, suggested that Juan Williams should discuss his feelings with his psychiatrist.

Is this what we have come to?  Are we each to be subjected to this kind of vicious personal attack for engaging in our 1st Amendment right to freely express our opinions and apprehensions?

In the old Soviet Union, individuals who expressed opinions out-of-line with the positions set forth by the State were incarcerated in forced labor camps administered by the Gulag, or were sent to psychiatric hospitals.  Vivian Schiller's comment is suggestive of what the liberal left wants to do with those who do not toe the line.

This type of attack has become more prevalent in the wake of the failure of the liberal left to reinstate the so-called "Fairness Doctrine", which would have required broadcasters to give equal time to opposing points of view, even when those opposing points of view lack an audience.  Conservative talk radio has shown itself to be commercially viable, while liberal talk radio has largely failed in the commercial marketplace (Air America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on October 13th, 2006, and after a relatively brief resurgence, was permanently shut down on January 21st, 2010, and then filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on February 3rd, 2010).

Since National Public Radio has apparently decided that only politically correct (i.e., liberal left (i.e., Democratic)) speech is to be allowed, it clearly cannot be considered a non-partisan entity.

National Public Radio receives some funding, primarily in the form of grants, from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a federally funded entity.  Although these grants are comparatively small, perhaps in the range of $1.5 million, Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina has announced that he will introduce legislation which will eliminate all Federal funding for National Public Radio.

I support this action.  I do not feel that taxpayers should fund partisan entities, whatever their political affiliation might be.

Interestingly, liberal news analyst Juan Williams has been given a 3 year contract by the allegedly rabidly conservative FOX News Network.

It has to make you wonder who is the real defender of Freedom of Speech, as embodied in the 1st Amendment.