Is stifiling free speech by taking Imus off the air healthy?

Question

It's amazing how the supposedly staunch defenders of free speech cave in to the political point of view of those who attend their cocktail parties when it comes to some speech. If one is for freedom of speech, shouldn't one defend speech that is also offensive? What happened to the marketplace of ideas?

Momma Schmitt you are exactly right. Nobody has to watch it if they don't want to. School and church are the places for moral instruction. The public airways are not.

Answer 1

Some people are claiming that the reason for the firing is that he is in a "priveledged" position. BS - He was wrong - dead wrong to speak such nasty words. HE APOLOGIZED!!!!!!! IMMEDIATELY. Yes, punish him, so that we all benefit from the situation. Make him take 15 minutes out of every show and dedicate it to a story in the news that is about hatred and intolerance. (chances are, every story would be about sharpton, jackson or the naacp because they breed more hate and racism than anyone else) CBS and MSNBC should not have caved in, it just shows you how much our Young Men and Women are fighting for our rights on the front line everyday, is a wasted effort, because the powers that be in our "free" country are sensoring us. We don't have to like what someone says, or agree with it. We have the right to say we didn't like it, and we have the right to change the channel. Remore controls were not just given to whites.

Answer 2

People misunderstand the concept of free speech. Free speech means that you can say what you want without fear of government prosecution. That means that you can not be arrested for saying something. Imus was not arrested and faces no criminal charges.

What people really misunderstand is that there are still consequences to the things you say. You are free to walk up to your best friend and unleash a string of obscenities and insults so hideous it would make Hitler blush. Your friend might choose never to speak to you again.

In this case, Imus said something that someone found offensive. In response to that, sponsors decided that they no longer wanted to spend their money to advertise during his show. They are within their rights to do that because it is their money. The loss of money made Imus a liability that the networks (CBS and MSNBC) no longer wanted to support. He presented a risk that they did not want to carry and they removed the risk. They are within their rights to do that.

The unfortunate thing about this whole thing is that it is an serious overreaction by the media and the Rutgers team. I understand that what he said was very offensive, but I am willing to bet the girls have heard worse on the basketball court.

Answer 3

Free speech is free speech. You cannot defend a person's right to say or write anything in one instance and slap them down in another. How many despicable stories do we hear about how the ACLU is defending some group with views way out of the mainstream, based on free speech? Or the church in KS picketting at fallen soldiers' funerals?

Yes, Imus' comments were inappropriate, but no cause to fire him. What this does is create a chilling effect across all broadcasters, saying, "Say anything you like. In fact, 'shock jock' tactics will boost your ratings and make us money. But, at the slightest sign of unrest we're gonna can your butt."

What's a broadcaster to do?

Answer 4

Free speach isn't just for Imus. It also applies to those he offends. They have every right to call for such an offensive buffoon to lose his high profile position and when enough people agree it will happen. G'bye Imus.

Answer 5

It is not healthy. And the neo-liberals are against free speech. They can't control the people without their control of media.