Why does it appear liberals dislike freedom of speech?

Question

Or more accurately, why do they appear only to like the speech they agree with? From "hate crime" legislation that seeks to punish people based on their thoughts, to Democratic Senators threatening to try to yank ABC's television license because they don't like the content of one mini-series, liberals almost invariably present the appearence that they are no friends of free speech. My question is, do they really hate free speech and wish to control what everyone thinks and says, or is there some freedom-loving reason why they would seek to punish those who disagree with them?

(I realize Republicans have done things like this, too, but I'm not talking about them. And two wrongs don't make a right. You either stand by your principles, or you have none.)

Two points: for those who are clamoring about "The Path to 9/11" being shown a few weeks before an election, there is no restriction on freedom of speech during an election cycle, so get over it. Or did you clamor this much over Rathergate when it happened? Methinks you did not.

Second: I haven't seen this movie yet, and I've heard conflicting accounts as to its accuracy. If it's inaccurate, that's a problem, and needs to be fixed.

Oh, and for the record, I'm a Libertarian who voted for Harry Brown in 2000, and abstained in 2004.

Answer 1

Liberalism is a mental disorder!!

Answer 2

Well, what do you think of this letter? "If your series contains omissions, exaggerations, distortions, or scenes that are fiction masquerading as fact, the American people may come away with a misunderstanding....” It was addressed to CBS and signed by the chairman of the Republican National Committee, protesting the miniseries about Ronald Reagan that had made-up pieces of dialogue and altered scenes and compositions of events. The end of the sentence quoted above is "... of the Reagans and the Reagan administration."

Smart people can go to http://pol.moveon.org/abcdoc/ to sign MoveOn's petition to stop the movie.

An excerpt from: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14733545/

<< OLBERMANN: You were privy to everything the president read each day, you had daily access to him. Is there any truth to the principal insinuation here that he was distracted from terrorism by the Lewinsky affair?

SEAN MALONEY: Absolutely not. Let me tell you what. I was there. I saw the president every day during the entire Lewinsky episode, from the day it started to the day it ended. And it was my job to provide him with his daily workload, a mountain of stuff that goes through the Oval Office. And I can tell you, that guy was focused like a laser beam on doing his job. And you know what else I did, I saw all the national security information that went to the president every day, including all the information on the growing threat of al Qaeda. And I can tell you, this — President Clinton was focused like a laser beam on it. And I‘m just telling you as a guy who was there. It is a smear to say that he wasn‘t. It‘s a subjective view, there is no evidence to support it. And I can tell you, as a guy who was in the room, it‘s just not the case. And you know who else knew it? The American people. And that‘s why they stood by him, because he was doing his job. And that‘s why he enjoys the favorable ratings he has today.

OLBERMANN: Do you fear that people will actually believe the docudrama, and now put more blame on President Clinton than he deserves for the events that led up to 9/11?

MALONEY: Well, look, why would ABC be so careless with the truth? Let‘s be clear, there is no dispute that there are factual mistakes in this movie, and they are serious. They just say things that didn‘t happen. And ABC doesn‘t dispute that. Now, the president of ABC Entertainment has said it‘s critically important to get it right. So why not get it right? Why not clean this thing up, or take it down until you get it right? You know, I‘m a New Yorker, and those of us in New York are getting to celebrate the five-year anniversary of this terrible episode. And you know what we‘re thinking about? We‘re still getting on handle on what was in the toxic cloud that went out. The families are still grieving with their loss. This should be a nonpartisan day to come together. This is a terrible time, using falsehoods, to inject politics into this commemoration. I just don‘t know why ABC would do it. It‘s wrong. They ought to fix it. >>

Answer 3

This is funny. Your question is why do liberals dislike freedom of free-speech? Liberals don't dislike free-speech, that is the answer. When you ask the question why do democrats want to pull the Path to 9/11 there are numerous answers. The easiest is that it appears to be fact-free and is called a documentary. What a crock. Usually if a government affiliated company puts out info like this abroad we would call it propaganda. You need to open your eyes and take in fact not spin.

Just keep this in mind. When media puts information out there it has been spun. Right, left, or center we as Americans need to get through the spin and digest the info to come to our own answers. Don't just take people at what they say, you need to think and research for yourself.

Both parties want the Americans to hear just one side because they count on YOU to just listen to what is being said, and not think for yourself.

Answer 4

Your question is about "liberals" specifically and that is what makes it inflammatory.

Lots of liberals are not in any way opposed to free speech. Some are, in some ways, at least as defined by some. It really isn't that easy. This particular case seems like a complaint about what are perceived as LIES. Deceit is not protected under "free speech." On the other hand, this is a piece of fiction, but based on actual events. At the very least, liberals have just as much right to complain as anyone else.

Answer 5

The mini series is not a question of "free speech". What they are presenting is not an opinion. They are presenting some things that never happened as fact. As we enter the political season, it is blatantly obvious what they are trying to do, what conservative always do; smear.

As for hate crimes, you can say whatever you want. However when you commit a crime based on those beliefs, it is no longer just a speech issue.


There is no "conflict" on its accuracy. Even the makers admit a lot of it was made up for dramatic purposes

Answer 6

Liberals love Freedom of Speech.

It is conservatives that hate Freedom of Speech.

I want to see the new ABC Mini-Series.

I love all the true life non-partisan documentaries from Michael Moore and other great producers.

I am anxiously waiting to see the true life documentary, "Dixie Chicks, Shut up and Sing", which I have heard, describes how much Conservatives Hate Freedom of Speech!

Answer 7

As an ex-Republican,I know YOU are full of blonde crap.

Attention all readers. Forget about the posting from this person. Just remember to pull the "Straight Democratic" lever in the fall elections. Throw the GOP out they have not accomplished anything worthwhile in the last six years.

Answer 8

Misleading the people for political gain is not "Free Speech".

Furthermore, the man who wrote this movie and produced it, is not doing it for "ART" he is doing it to try and sway the vote with defamatory comments.

You can say whatever you want, but if it is a lie intended to hurt somebody, you are responsible for what you say.

Being responsible for what you say is the basis of Free Speech.

Also, its not just "liberals" who are against this movie if it contains purposeful lies and deceit, it is anybody who has a sense of Right and Wrong.

If "conservatives" like to win elections by flat out lying, why would you want to be a "conservative"......... Shouldn't the term conservative mean that you want the truth, not a fabrication?

Answer 9

the common public of babies are turning out to be up in a political climate it is getting greater vicious and vial as time is going on bc of conservatives. Conservatives are the prolateriate of our day.Yea specific have your loose speech now yet whilst those variety of youthful democrats strengthen up seeking to pass French revolution on your asses do no longer say i did no longer furnish you with a warning.

Answer 10

You people need to quit generalizing. Not all liberals, not all conservatives think completely alike. I've have liberal and conservative friends and have NEVER heard one of them utter their dislike of the freedom of speech. If you realize Republicans are guilty too then why are you singling out liberals?

Answer 11

I think that the propaganda piece, "Path to 9/11" should be shown in it's entirety AFTER the November elections. It is obvious that this cheesy manipulated pile of crap was created and funded by the the right-wing to sway the electorate (not all that sophisticated to begin with) to vote for candidates who support the Bush regime's rape of America. That ABC would participate in such a sham seems to indicate that they have either been intimidated or infiltrated by the fascist elements trying to totally control America for their own benefit.