Freedom of Speech Being Phased Out?

I’ve said many times that playing the dilapidated race card without warrant doesn’t work like it used to. In the old days, accusing someone of racism sent them scrambling to defend themselves and effectively quashed whatever real issue was being discussed. But, as with the boy that cried wolf once too often, many Americans are now unfazed by those kinds of attacks, with some, such as myself, turning it right back around to where it came from. Of course, even I need to keep my mouth shut sometimes, whether I want to keep my job or otherwise conduct business in this society free of animosity. Freedom of speech seems to disappearing in this country, but it looks like that freedom is being eroded from a specific group.

The big headline concocted by the media at the moment is Rick Santorum and his satan comments. Look it up. It was in the context of an entire speech, but the agnostic media has turned it into a campaign issue, devastingly so for the Republican party. Santorum is being portrayed as a religious kook. Keep in mind, the views he is now sharing are the same ones he’s held for years. When Santorum was a senator, did he ever do anything crazy? Did he act like a kook, like an irrational religious nut that tried to impose his thinking on everybody? No, he didn’t. Sure, in most cases, he came up with bills and voted according to his value set, but I never heard of him doing anything so nutty that he should be removed from office. Yet that is the perception the media would like us to have about Rick Santorum. So for those that think Santorum is too extreme, that have turned away from him in recent weeks, keep in mind, he was like this before. How did you feel then?

Then we have the Jeremy Lin debacle. A great story, Lin comes off the bench for the New York Knicks and becomes a star overnight. He’s as American as apple pie, but there are those-the media, that want to portray him as Chinese-American. He is not. He is American, although his lineage goes back to China. We all heard what happened. ESPN printed a headline that was perceived as an ethnic slur. A broadcaster later used it in an interview-not with Lin, but on the air. It was a term commonly used in sports: A chink in the armor. Yes, that word has derogatory connotations for those of Chinese dissent, but at the same time, is there anyone that really thinks those guys at ESPN purposely ran that headline to mock Lin? The professional whiners would like you to think so. Was it inappropriate? Probably not the best line considering the history of the word in this country. At the same time, anyone who thinks that it was an intentional slur against Lin is just lying. Do you think those guys wanted to lose their jobs? Do you think they want all this flak heaped upon them? The broadcaster who uttered the phrase has a wife of Chinese descent! Sounds to me like these guys had moved on and didn’t even see this as a slur. Obviously, there are those the haven’t moved on.

In Los Angeles, there is a very popular radio duo known as John and Ken. With their railing against illegal immigration (in Los Angeles), and their annual head on a stick effort to remove unpalatable politicians from office, they’ve made many an enemy, and last week those enemies scored at least a temporary victory. Commenting on the death of Whitney Houston, one of them chimed that Houston was just a crack ho’. That got them suspended for a week. Does anybody actually think Whitney Houston was out in the alley selling her body for a hit of crack? No, nobody thinks that. Was she a drug addict? Yes she was. Did those drugs include crack? At least for some portion of her addiction, yes. Was it in bad taste? Probably, but if that was the criteria for suspension, John and Ken would have been off the air years ago. Instead, they’re one of the highest rated shows in the state.

What happened to John and Ken can be likened to what happened to Howard Stern. Somebody didn’t like the content and looked to stifle it. When Stern’s show became too expensive for radio stations to handle, he ended up on Sirius.

But not all are attacked for speaking their mind. The expletive filled racist rant from Samuel L. Jackson didn’t even make a ripple in the media. Nor did Morgan Freeman’s accusations of racism against the tea party. Maxine Waters’ legendary hate speech isn’t news either. Jeremiah wright had faded into obscurity, even as his prodigy occupies the White House. Obama gets away with his God, guns and anti-immigrant sentiment comment with a wink and a nod. We could actually compile a list with him and his buddy Eric Holder. Van Jones had to be dragged kicking and screaming from the White House after his wild assertions. He’s still around though, yes he is.

I could write a book about this subject, but for now, this post will have to suffice. Just keep this in mind though. As the left dictates the discussion for Republicans that will guarantee a loss in November, none of the candidates are defending freedom of speech. Politically correct means anything that comes out of your mouth must be pre-approved by the powers that be, whoever they may be at the moment. And we know who they are at the moment. Are you okay with that? If you have a thought, do you want to run it by Al Sharpton first? Or do you want to be free to speak your mind without having to worry if your career-or maybe even your safety may be at risk?

I can say how I feel here, but as I said earlier, I cannot talk like this at work and expect to keep my job. As it is, diversity and inclusion means less white males, so I’m lucky I’m drawing a paycheck at all. It shouldn’t be like that, and it’s going to take someone-or something with a wider reach than my blog to at least start a dialogue about it. I still have a standing offer to debate Eric Holder on the issue of cowardice when discussing race though. He hasn’t contacted me yet…