First it was the National Hispanic Media Coalition calling on the FCC to probe what it feels is hate speech by conservative talk radio hosts. The group claims it isolated 334 incidents of hate speech by John & Ken of KFI, Los Angeles, Michael Savage, and Lou Dobbs in eighty minutes of tape.
Then it was minority groups petitioning the FCC to investigate the new radio ratings system called the Portable People Meter because they feel it under represents the ratings on urban radio stations and is unfair. The meter can’t lie and registers in real time what radio stations those who wear the device are hearing. Make sure all groups are fairly represented and all should be fine.
Now, midgets want the FCC to ban the word “midget.” This latest controversy erupted following an April episode of NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” in which contestents, including Joan Rivers suggested “bathing midgets in detergent and hanging them out to dry.” Now, the “Little People of America” are asking the FCC to ban the word “midget” from broadcast airwaves because it is demeaning.
So what’s next? Ban the word “fat?” We can’t use that word because it will hurt someone’s feelings? Weight challenged Americans? Ban certain songs, including violent rap music demeaning to women? And while we’re at it, ban the countless words considered to be racist from the airwaves. Ban this and ban that. Instead of using their God-given rights to free speech to fight back in a free country, these groups run to Big Brother asking for speech regulation. They claim they value the First Amendment, but they always use the word “but” in qualifying their cause. It’s time we put an end to this nonsensical syndrome of political correctness and second guessing everything we say as Americans.
As America tries to define hate speech legislation in the Congress, it’s time to tell it like it is. We are a nation of cry babies and wimps. This demand by midgets…er Little People should be ignored by the FCC and we predict it will.
Language cannot be regulated and remain free. Where does it stop? Look at Canada’s cold chill of arctic air under their socialist Human Rights Tribunals and what these Tribunals have done to free expression in that nation. Pastors have been banned for writing about their moral convictions condemning homosexuality. Look at what Hugo Chavez is doing right now in Venezuela – taking the broadcast licenses away from radio stations because he wants no opposition as a tyrant.
Where offensive speech is prohibited, tyranny will follow. Creating protected classes of people free from criticism or even stupid off-color humor is the first step and from there the foundation of a free people crumbles. I’d rather be bathed in detergent and hung out to dry than have the government determine what is and what isn’t free speech.