Constant Opinions

The whole deal with Imus being fired has really blown up much bigger than I like. Now it appears that Media Matters wants to go after other shock jocks, including conservative ones.

I read about this over at Gun Toting Liberal, and I have to agree… this whole thing is a bad, bad idea. We may not like the language they use or the opinions stated, but they have the right to say it. Even when much of it is hateful.

I’m really not a fan of slippery slope arguements, but it’s easy to see one applying in this case. You decide that offensive material should not be published. So what’s offensive now? Next year? Year after that? A problem could develop all too easily.

I’m not a fan of any of the shock jocks. I don’t need to hear it. But that’s my own choice. They do well because people love hearing them state opinions their listeners either love to yell at or would love to say themselves.

And when I think about exactly what got Imus in trouble, it seems to me that there are other entertainers saying the same thing. Is it really better for a black rapper to say it than a white shock jock? Not to me. The one difference is in applying it to specific people.

Of course, the corporations that fired Imus were well within their rights. Their advertisers were no doubt screaming. I just don’t like the idea that all offensive speech should be taken off the air.

Technorati Tags: imus, free speech, shock jocks, media matters

Filed under: Controversial