What Happened to Free Speech?

By Vic Bilson
Jeremiah Project

Free speech has been replaced with "politically correct" speech. Once confined to the educational establishment, political correctness has now broken out in the historical bastion of free speech - the press.

Perhaps the mainstream media felt it was losing its "gatekeeper" function when the Internet opened the way for non-traditional journalists to publish their perspective. Or perhaps the mainstream media finally fell victim to commercialism. Whatever the reason, the one-time rallying cry of the media, "free speech," is no longer found in mainstream America newsrooms.

In May, 1999, CBS threatened to sue the American Family Association because they had the audacity to put on their web site audio clips of comments made by "shock jock" Howard Stern. It was after the tragic shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado that Stern had the following to say:

"There were some really good-looking girls running out with their hands over their heads. Did (the suspects) try to have sex with any of the good-looking girls? They didn't even do that? At least if you're going to kill yourself and kill all the kids, why wouldn't you have some sex? If I was going to kill some people I would take 'em out with some sex."

Apparently CBS is livid that the AFA would allow Americans to hear in Howard Stern's own voice - the one minute 47 second clip. Imagine what the parents of the children murdered in Colorado must think when they hear Stern's comments.

I'm not suggesting that Howard Stern's freedom of speech should be silenced. But, if he is going to be afforded the right to free speech, so should anyone who opposes him. To allow the high dollar lawyers for CBS to squelch opposition to the smut Howard Stern broadcasts on the public airwaves is un-American and should not be tolerated in a free society. Let the marketplace decide what they want to hear. Let the American public hear for themselves both sides of the debate.

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