Is talk radio exercising their right to free speech?

Question

Humanist just asked a question slamming talk radio as hate speech. Aren't the talk radio hosts exercising their rights as citizens of the USA? If you don't like what they have to say, turn on some music and don't listen.

Also Henry the VIII says we will not debate him on any topics. What topic do you want to debate?

Frank - My opinion is let moveon.org say what ever they want. However they cannot be so thin skinned to avoid criticism for their actions. The ad of general Petrayas is slander. If the general was a private citizen like you and I, he would have the right to sue. However since he is in the military, he cannot.

Moveon.org cooked their own goose on stupidity and showed their true colors. Therefore they should and will get criticized by public and private citizens.

aaronesq - Did Dan Rather show his journalistic skills when he put the Bush papers on the CBS Evening News. Does Chris Matthews, the New York Time, etc.

Your argument is a crock because conservative and democratic newspapers, magazine, etc. do not have any journalistic standards anymore.

The whole Hadithia killing story in Time magazine is a crock of crap. We have marines under trial for this story, but as the facts come out the journalistic standards you talk about are falling apart. So lets be real here.

Answer 1

Actually, as offensive as many people believe hate speech to be, it's still protected under First Amendment rights. That covers printed speech, spoken speech, and symbols of speech.

While private organizations have the right to dictate and employ any restrictive policies on their own property, once they are broadcast into the public realm, they can no longer be restricted.

In certain case, hate speech can be seen as a violation of another law, such as Incitement To Riot. But the burden of proof is upon the court to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendent intended to incite a riot by his speech, and can be proven that he KNEW his actions would have that predictable result.

Answer 2

Talk radio first and foremost is......ENTERTAINMENT! If ya don't like it, turn the channel. Most talk radio stations do not have actual journalists that do the shows, they have personalities, like Rush. He does not report the news, he comments on it, and he gives his own comments, because it's his show. He has the right to say whatever he wants, as long as it's within the confines of the law. The same goes for Jon Stewart, he is not a journalist reporting the news, he is an entertainment personality and he has the right to say whatever he wants, it's his show. If ya don't like it, turn the channel. In the words of Linda Ronstadt, It's So Easy!

Answer 3

We need to be so very careful as to what WE the people of this land (or any land for that matter) allow those who don't like what someone is saying, labels it as -- hate speech. For in so and labeling it so, they then define how they can get rid of those they oppose including prison, death etc. So.....as I know from all the years I have been in politcal arena it seems that the left, or liberal side of the agreements are now labeling them as hate speech and it is not....I should be able to express my opinion without fear from the other side because they don't want me to GET MY SIDE out to the populace.

I have a very good example of shutting down free speech.....Putin and Chavez of Venz. have taken over all the airways(in their countries) so as not to have any opposition in their country to their partitlucar governance. Because, should the people hear the truth or another version of what Putin and Chavez are doing....the people most likely would act to change it....by force if needed.

I have a right to expound my view as they do....you should see what they say about me because I write an article about the pony baloney on man/climate change.....that is in opposition to Gores.....groupies.

Answer 4

Not if it believes in its right to use it for propagandizing messages to stir up hatred, murders and to disrupt peace among the communities. Free speech should not be seen as the same as the purpose to create lies and propaganda, and for hurting any sector of the communities so as to inflict civil wars. Free speech is not about telling lies amd stirring up hate... as seen in what Michelle Malkin has been of late been doing.

Answer 5

Yes, they are exercising their rights of free speech. The unfortunate thing is that talk radio is not held up to journalistic standards and is allowed to get away with regular inaccuracies and intentional distortions without being held accountable. Anyone who calls them on their distortions are immediately called "biased liberals". The faithful listeners are so deeply brainwashed that they will stick up for any and all inaccuracies even when they know they are wrong, merely for the good of the cause.

Answer 6

Yeap it's beginnig the war once more will rage in the USA freedom of speech is always censured oops censored by the left if they do not like what you are saying,

luckily I have more than speech on my side.

Answer 7

For a democrat, the definition of hate speech is anyone who dares to have an opinion other than their own. Also anyone who talks about facts, logic, proof or the like.
By this lack of logic, talk radio is hate speech.

Answer 8

Personally I believe they ar excercising their right to free speech EXCEPT when they hang up with people that do not agree with them. Not the abusive or rude or callers just the ones they do not agree with at the time. Then they are bending the right to free speech for their own means.

Answer 9

They have the right to free speech . And so does Air America,though by choice I turn them off. Humanist can't figure this one out.

Answer 10

Yes Talk Radio is Free Speech and they also have the freedom to change the channel.