Posted on 07/16/2004 3:50:17 PM PDT by jmstein7
Deconstructing Whoopi - a Republican Fires Back
By Jonathan M. Stein
In response to being fired by Slim-Fast for her lewd and outrageous anti-Bush diatribe at John Kerry’s exclusive, closed-door fundraiser on July 8th, the now-infamous Radio City “Hate Fest,” Whoopi Goldberg stated that “America's heart and soul is freedom of expression without fear of reprisal.” A close reading of Ms. Goldberg’s remarks divulges Hollywood’s fundamental misunderstanding of the First Amendment and the freedom of expression. The First Amendment is not the exclusive property and privilege of the Hollywood elite; but, perhaps more pointedly, the First Amendment absolutely does not shield people who exercise their First Amendment rights from the consequences of the resulting expression. Unlike the idyllic bubble-world that is Hollywood, in the real world – including portions of fly-over country that elite celebrities like Goldberg would never dare set foot in – actions have consequences.
Of course, the authorities cannot stop a speaker from exercising their freedom of expression for fear of the audiences’ reaction – the so-called “heckler’s veto” – but, on the other hand, the speaker has no right to suppress that reaction. Goldberg averred that “The fact that I am no longer the spokesman for Slim-Fast makes me sad, but not as sad as someone trying to punish me for exercising my right as an American to speak my mind in any forum I choose.” Someone should point out to Ms. Goldberg that the First Amendment only protects her from government reprisal; it does not insulate her from the ire of ordinary Americans who she might have actually insulted with her remarks. Apparently, the fact that people might actually disagree with her never crossed her mind; whither the favorite phrase of the entertainment elite “dissent is patriotic.” For Ms. Goldberg, dissent is patriotic, as long as it is not her remarks that one is dissenting from.
In fact, the First Amendment is not the exclusive privilege of the denizens of Beverly Hills; regular folks – ordinary consumers – had every right to express their own ire by demanding that Slim-Fast drop Whoopi. To paraphrase Justice Holmes, America is a marketplace of ideas. Ms. Goldberg’s overt belief that her ideas are superior to John Q. American who expressed his idea – i.e., “I choose not to buy products that Whoopi is associated with” – to Slim-Fast merely evinces her sheer arrogance.
Predictably, instead of accepting responsibility for her actions, Whoopi blamed the Republican Party for her dismissal – a pathetic cop out. Her automatic assumption that every single incensed person who contacted Slim-Fast was a Republican Party operative is preposterous. One needn’t be a registered Republican to be insulted by what is known of her remarks. In her defense, perhaps her remarks were taken out of context by reporters. If that is indeed the case, Americans will never know – the videotape of the event has been shrouded in secrecy, and the Kerry campaign has refused to let America see it. Perhaps it has been secured in Al Gore’s “lock-box”?
The bottom line is that if vociferous celebrities choose to carelessly, and publicly, emote with inflammatory rhetoric, which is their right, the ultimate audience of that rhetoric has every right to react with expression of its own – including boycotts. In case Ms. Goldberg hasn’t heard, boycotts are one of the most time-honored forms of expression. And, for Ms. Goldberg to call the indignation expressed by Americans participating in the boycott “disingenuous” merely adds insult to injury. The implication is that that the elites have a monopoly on genuine expression, which is asinine and deprecating.
Other reactions to Ms. Goldberg’s dismissal from Slim-Fast have been quite laughable, albeit predictable. Asa Khalif, head of Racial Unity USA in Pennsylvania, and self-proclaimed “diversity promoter” released a statement relating to Goldberg’s firing. He stated that “I smell racism from beginning to end. . . . SlimFast must realize that black women have every right to voice their views.” Well, the race-baiters are out in force. Now it is just a matter of time until Jesse Jackson is marching, with his trademarked grim expression, on Slim-Fast headquarters. In all frankness, Khalif’s absurd remarks should not merit media attention. However, it won’t be long until the misery merchants and masters of discord capitalize on the opportune firing of – gasp – a black woman. Perhaps Mr. Khalif glossed over the fact that people found the content of the remarks objectionable, not the person delivering them. I can guarantee Mr. Khalif that if lilly-white Michael Moore had delivered those remarks, the reaction would have been identical.
Like Mr. Khalif, I too smell something… but it isn’t racism.
BUMP!
If that involves touching her - in any way - I'll pass...
I guess Whoopi's mother told her she has to be responsible for her actions. I personally didn't threaten Slim Fast. I did tell them I would no longer buy their products because Whoopi and her obnoxius statements were associated with Slim Fast. I have a right to express my opinions to Slim Fast-Free Speech and all.
Michael Moore a spokesman for slim-fast!!!!???
Maybe as the before
I meant to say that Whoopis mother NEVER told her she was responsible for her own actions. Sorry for the left out word.
Whoopie represents the classic case of the non-thinking person. Head and mouth disease.
Moore could definitely use Slim-Fast, but he's more of a spokesman for Gravy... the other white meat condiment...
Whoppi got a whuppin
hear, hear!!!!!!!!!!! great job!
Take note star power: ordinary citizens have rights too. And we are fed up to HERE with your condescending BS.
getting dropped from slim fast should be the least of her worries, grow some eyebrows!
To Whoopi and other lefties: Did you speak out when the gay extremenists successfully had sponsors pull out of Dr Laura's TV show??? Did you speak out when movie studios would not touch "The Passion"???
I, for one, found both the remarks, and the person who stated them, objectionable.
In fact, I think the entire Democrat Party is objectionable, and more likely pornographic.
A good reason to make them have a XXX warning declared, and shown before any of them speak in public.
Is there a URL for this piece?
Slim-Fast is owned by a Democrat. She was fired by a Democrat.
Slim-fast is not censoring Whoopie. Slim-fast is not infringing on Whoopie's First Amendment rights. Whoopie is free and clear to say whatever she wants.
Slim-fast has the right to determine, however, the qualities and qualifications of spokesperson(s) for the company. They determined Goldberg is no longer qualified to represent them. That is fully their right.
This is a very good essay on the 1st amendment. Publish it far and wide.
Here we have an example of a multi-millionaire who nonetheless fails to understand that business cannot prosper by driving away customers in great thundering herds. A 6-year-old tyke at a makeshift sidewalk lemonade stand understands quite well what appears to be beyond the comprehension of Ms. Whoopsy-doo.
I'm working on getting it published.
I'm trying to get it published :)
Didn't Whoopi once live on the street and turn tricks for heroin? I memory serves she deserves credit for her acheivement but proves that you can get the girl off the junk but you can't get the junk out of the woman.
And SlimFast, as an employer, has every right to voice their views. Voicing their views by taking her off the ads is their right as a Publicly traded company.
TPD
Both barrels, center target.
Nice shootin'
BUMP!
Well-written, but maybe a limerick would lighten the mood.
Whoopie thought she could crack jokes
At a couple Republican blokes
She dropped down a notch
While she talked of her crotch
And thought she was a voice of the folks.
No? Well, I tried. {{{jm}}}
Bump.
BTW, it might not be a bad idea for each of us to contact SlimFast with a note of thanks and let them know we intend to go right out and buy a pack of their product. I don't even need the stuff and I intend to do this -- just as I started dining at Denny's when that company stood up to a frivolous race-baiting shakedown attempt and declared that enough was enough.
ohmygosh, I just realize you wrote this jm. It's terrific! Great job!
And she will continue to take a whuppin. What corporation in its right mind will bring her aboard after what she did to SlimFast? This little fool saw what happened to Rosie O. and failed to draw the obvious conclusion. Only in America can somebody as brain-dead as these two prosper.
I found the reference book that she and the Left are using:
Article [I.]
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of liberal speech, or of those elements of the press or persons, who are approved of by progressive organizations; The right to free speech shall be free from negative financial or other monetary implications including, but not limited to boycotts for any person meeting the specific requirements of the progressive ideology as espoused by the ACLU, NOW, NAACP and DNC; free speech can be selectively enforced should any member of a dissenting party, such as the RNC, wish to exercise these rights in a manner deemed to be either inflammatory to those groups previously mentioned, or as used to benefit the Conservative movement; for the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
lol, while I was reading this piece I kept thinking what journalist uses such a great vocabulary and come to find out it's you. Send it to TownHall.com perhaps they'll consider it.
Of course. You'll look like him if you drink a 55-gallon drum of slim-fast every day.
I did contact Slim-Fast the other day as soon as I heard they had the good sense to lose her as dead weight and promised them eternal allegiance to their diet beverages.
Good luck getting this published, and let us know how it works out.
A vulgar act
that's lacking tact
has made a fact
a lost contract
Another season,
Another reason
For firing whoopee.
I was trying to come up with a response to Whoopi pointing at her privates every time she said the president's name, but had some trouble. At first, I thought pointing to my butt would be a good rejoinder, but then I realized my a**hole is too good for her. The only other option wasn't practical, as I don't have access to a heaping pile of sh*t. Oh well.
After they dropped Whoopi, I wrote them and said I would now consider buying their products.
Congressman Billybob said this about Whoopi:
"sensible corporations put morals clauses in their contracts. These clauses allow them to dump spokesmen whenever they do or say something that will embarrass the corporation and harm its sales"
While Whoopi is blaming the RNC, she should have READ her contract. THE ONLY PERSON TO BLAME IS HERSELF!!
What she means is, "Freedom means being able to act however you like, without the fear of consequences." This isn't freedom; it's license.
You may want to reconsider that eternal allegiance or you could end up looking like Calista Flockhart (I think that is her name).
Not Bad!
Maybe you could be FR's official poet!
Whoopiecushion Goldbrick, has made a fortune off of spewing inanities that no one else could have gotten away with. Hey Whoopie! Welcome to the real world.
That is unless your name is George W. Bush and you can simply have the USSS herd them into a so-called "Free Speech area".
Clinton did this too, and FReepers were justifiably outraged.
But when Bush does it, they cheer.
That's a chance I'll just have to take. So long as I can mix Slim-Fast with Diet Coke and dip my french fries in it, they have a customer in me!
"What she means is, "Freedom means being able to act however you like, without the fear of consequences." This isn't freedom; it's license."
As a youth I exercised my "freedom of speech" to my boss.
He fired me!!!!!
The difference between me and Whoopie is that I learned something from it.
There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
Every decision we make has consequences, be they good or bad.
*curtsy*
*adjusting my laurel wreath headgarb I fashioned from DU tinfoil hats*
Excellent! Send it to the NY Post.
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