Free Market Speech
by Tom Buchanan  04/23/03

I am annoyingly amused at he attacks on free speech from both sides of the political spectrum. The steady barrage of anti war rhetoric and catchy sound bytes from the left side of Hollywood has brought out a rash of criticism and boycotts from patriotic Americans.

The reaction to the backlash is to cry McCarthyism as loud as they can. McCarthyism was a witch hunt to route out members of the Communist Party and its sympathizers. This was implemented by The Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). As far as I know, no one has been arrested recently for speaking his or her mind. We all have a right to voice our opinions.

The First Amendment to the Bill of Rights is: 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.'

Have any laws been enacted prohibiting any one from expressing their opinion?

One of the misguided positions of the Hollywood celebrities is that they believe that because they are famous their opinion counts more than the average American citizen. They believe that they are somehow of superior intellect. What made them famous, however, was not their brains, but their ability to look pretty while reciting the words that someone else wrote. They are particularly good when they recite short sound bytes with passion that comes from years of training to get just right.

What they don't like is that everyone else in the nation has an opinion that is equal to theirs. If they choose to spout off in public against the war, or the president, or American values then they should expect that their will be some objection and consequences to their words. What they think is that their opinion is the only right one and that the American public should believe as they do.

Some of them disrespect any platform that they are given. The biggest example is the Academy Awards. The Awards are suppose to be for excellence in the motion picture industry. They have turned into nothing more than a platform for Hollywood elitists to spout their opinions. It detracts from the purpose of the event.

Recently the Baseball Hall of Fame canceled its 15th anniversary celebration of the film "Bull Durham." Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, the two co-stars of the film have been active in peace rallies to protest the war in Iraq and are not shy about using any platform to promote their cause. Knowing this and not wanting to take a chance at degrading the Baseball Hall of Fame it was cancelled. In his response Tim Robbins wrote "I am sorry that you have chosen to use baseball and your position at the Hall of Fame to make a political statement." Any one with half a brain would have to believe that if Tim and Susan would trash the very Academy that provides their ego a boost, that they surely wouldn't mind using the national past time of baseball to spread their political message.

Yes, standing out in public and voicing one's opinion does have consequences. Common, ordinary, everyday people can rise up and refuse to contribute to your fortunes by not consuming your products.

I find it interesting that there is such a cry of McCarthyism from Hollywood just because a group of people, not the government mind you, do not want to support your cause or provide you funding just because you voice your opinion. After all it is a well used tactic by the very people who now do not like it.

Do you remember the campaign to stop Dr. Laura? Here are some excerpts from the website, Stop Dr. Laura http://www.stopdrlaura.com/home.htm

On March 1, 2000, five friends got together and launched StopDrLaura.com with the goal of forcing Paramount Television to cancel Dr. Laura Schlessinger's then-upcoming TV show. '

WE STOPPED DR. LAURA: Welcome to StopDrLaura.com. Over a ten-month period starting on March 1, 2000, this Web site galavanized thousands of activists across the US, Canada and beyond into an online juggernaut that forced Dr. Laura Schlessinger off television.”

10/18: "West Wing" Savages Laura The Emmy-award-winning TV show "West Wing" included a blistering attack tonight on an uptight anti-gay pseudo-doctor who bore a striking resemblance in background to Laura Schlessinger. Martin Sheen's character, the President, starts questioning this woman about what kind of doctor she is, asks how she can give counseling when her PhD is in an unrelated field, criticizes her offensive views of homosexuality, then launches into a paraphrase of that famous email about Dr. Laura and the Bible.

10/22: Schlessinger Parodied on Law & Order Too First, Schlessinger was lampooned on West Wing, now we find via the Minneapolis Star Tribune, that the show following it, Law & Order, did the same. Her crime was voicing her opinion that someone didn't agree with. Since it is evident that Hollywood played a part in shutting her show down by threatening advertisers with boycotts why is not turn about fair play?

The left will scream that Dr. Laura was spouting politically incorrect hate and in the case of the present anti-war/Bush/American demonstrations which include blocking the shipment of supplies to American troops in Iraq one could argue that the left hates America.

So perhaps Hollywood ought to stop whining about McCarthyism when the shoe is on the other foot. Instead they should grow up and realize Newton's third law, which is: "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." There is nothing in the Constitution that says that you have the right not to be offended. The real problem is we don't know that we have the power to change the channel, or walk away from a conversation or not associate with those whose demeanor we don't agree with. The problem is that we all want to see the latest movie and will spend our money to line to coffers of those we don't agree with. Just like the campaign against Dr. Laura

Sooner or later, someone will make the ultimate Terrorism movie base on the events on September 11, 2001. One of the most memorable, goose bump generating scenes in that movie will be the phone conversation between Todd Beamer and the phone operator that ended with the famous “Let's Roll!”, followed by the scenes of a courageous Lisa Beamer dealing with life without her hero husband.

It would not surprise me if peace activist like Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon get to play these parts of courageous people. The film will probably be directed by Ted Turner. What will surprise me even less is that it will be a box office smash and every one will run out and throw their money at the very people they despise

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