A primer on efforts to kill free speech

WorldNetDaily ^ | February 21, 2009 | Joseph Farah

[Delacon]

There is much confusion among the public about efforts in Washington to muzzle talk radio.

I get e-mails daily from people who ask me what the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" would actually do – how it would actually work.

The answer to that question is simple: No one knows.

Legislation targeting talk radio for extinction has not yet been introduced in Congress. In fact, it may never be introduced. And, if it is, it is unlikely to be called the "Fairness Doctrine" because the name has outlived its usefulness to those who seek to stifle free speech and freedom of the press in America.

Nevertheless, you can be sure those attempting to achieve these goals will make their move soon.

It may come in the form of a new regulation by the Federal Communications Commission – bypassing the need for Democrats in Congress and in the White House to defend their attacks on the First Amendment.

Or, it may come in the form of legislation dressed up in new clothes and makeup – with lofty new objectives like achieving media diversity, accountability and balance.

It is also likely that new efforts will come packaged with new enforcement mechanisms – and this is where it really gets interesting.

You may have noticed that Democrats have what seems like an abundance of angry citizens and non-citizens on whom they can call to hold rallies, form picket lines, shout angry slogans, write letters, form committees, organize pressure groups, etc. Some of these people will be funded to the tune of billions of dollars thanks to the so-called "economic stimulus" bill signed into law by Barack Obama Tuesday.

I suggest Democrats, in their efforts to gut the First Amendment, will use these ne'er-do-well, miscreant, low-life, semi-professional agitators to help them accomplish their mission.

[Delacon]

Any new effort to target talk radio will almost assuredly come in the form of so-called "community advisory committees" that will be established in every major market in the U.S. and most smaller ones as well. These committees will be stacked with activists from ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) – a group with direct ties to Obama and partisan Democrat thuggery. (ACORN is budgeted for billions in handouts in the so-called "economic stimulus" bill. The only thing it will stimulate with that fortune in taxpayer largesse is fraud, deceit and chicanery.)

[Delacon]

 

PETITION TO BLOCK CONGRESSIONAL
ATTACKS ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND PRESS

To: U.S. Congress, President of the United States, Supreme Court of the United States

Whereas, the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution clearly states: "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";

Whereas, members of Congress are recently on record saying they want to re-impose the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" on U.S. broadcasters, or else accomplish the same goal of censoring talk radio by other means, and thereby establish government and quasi-government watchdogs as the arbiters of "fairness" rather than the free and open marketplace of ideas;

Whereas, the U.S. experimented with the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" for 38 years - from 1949 through 1987 - during which time it was repeatedly used by presidents and other political leaders to muzzle dissent and criticism;

Whereas, the abandonment of the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" in 1987, thanks to President Ronald Reagan, resulted in an unprecedented explosion of new and diverse voices and political speech - starting with Rush Limbaugh - that revitalized the AM radio band and provided Americans with a multitude of alternative viewpoints;

Whereas, talk radio is one of the most crucial components of the free press in America, and is single-handedly responsible for informing tens of millions of Americans about what their government leaders are doing;

Whereas, it is a wholly un-American idea that government should be the watchdog of the press and a policeman of speech, as opposed to the uniquely American ideal of a free people and a free press being the vigilant watchdogs of government;

Whereas, the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" - either under that name, or using a new name and even more devious methods - represents a frontal assault on the First Amendment, and its re-imposition would constitute nothing more nor less than the crippling of America's robust, unfettered, free press:

 

                                SIGN THE PETITION at http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=87882

 

Freepmail me if you want to join my fairness doctrine ping list.

[PGalt]

Great article by Farah and post by you, Delacon. Thanks!

[Hoosier-Daddy]

This has to be the line in the sand. They attempt to cross it, we march on DC.

[Texas Eagle]

I get e-mails daily from people who ask me what the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" would actually do – how it would actually work. The answer to that question is simple: No one knows.

Joseph Farah needs to listen to Rush Limbaugh. He's explained it several times. The nut of it is that local stations will be hounded out of business by paid rabble-rousers who are enlisted to demand "equal time".

Legislation targeting talk radio for extinction has not yet been introduced in Congress. In fact, it may never be introduced.

Again, if Farah listened to Rush he would know that Congress doesn't need to act to re-impose the Fairness Doctrine. The FCC could usurp Congress's power and impose it unilaterally.

[hyperconservative]

And then soon enough, it’ll be like being in the 1970s again and who wants to go thru that?

Anyone else remember how crappy the ‘70s were? Unless you heard word of mouth from family or friends who travel domestically, such as pilots, truckers, salespeople, you hardly knew what was going on in the rest of the country.
Had to rely on telephones and snail mail, newspapers and magazines. News was a slow moving thing then.

Late ‘70s/ early ‘80s, a few bright individuals gave AM radio a new life and a new purpose and the rest is history.

[Delacon]

“Anyone else remember how crappy the ‘70s were? Unless you heard word of mouth from family or friends who travel domestically, such as pilots, truckers, salespeople, you hardly knew what was going on in the rest of the country.
Had to rely on telephones and snail mail, newspapers and magazines. News was a slow moving thing then.”

Honestly I can’t understand how Reagan ever gained momentum(Too young to see it evolve. Did get to cast my first presidential vote for him though).

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Honestly I can’t understand how Reagan ever gained momentum(Too young to see it evolve. Did get to cast my first presidential vote for him though).

Reagan was a smart cookie; he would embarrass liberals in debate because he was a principled conservative who had thought things through. And had a sense of humor with which he could skewer an argument without being nasty.

Reagan hadn't done well in the first debate with Mondale, and there was concern that Reagan could fail to get reelected if the MSM could portray him as too old. Thus, the question in the second debate to Reagan, about whether age was an issue in the campaign - and Reagan's famous rejoinder, "No. I am not going to make Mr. Mondale's youth and inexperience an issue in this campaign!" I thought that Mondale would deadpan that line because if he laughed his campaign was doomed. But Mondale laughed - and won only Minnesota and DC in the election.

[Elsiejay]

Why were we so foolish as to vest that much power in an appointed commission? The frog in the kettle, again!!??

[Texas Eagle]

The frog in the kettle, again!!??

Yes. I think the old saw about the road to hell being paved with good intentions also applies.

[Don Corleone]

The answer to that question is simple: No one knows.

Not so. It will work the same way as last time, only worse. All music all the time on radio and TV will only be pure mush at best. Religious broadcasting will also be affected.

[Delacon]

Yes, Mr. Farah's article is an exercise in understatement. I posted this article though because he covered the inevitability and specter of “community advisory boards”. That and I like him. As for religious broadcasting, well that can't be emphasized enough. In fact, I've posted a few articles highlighting how religious radio is freaked out about this.

[redpoll]

>>>This has to be the line in the sand. They attempt to cross it, we march on DC.<<<

I will be there. I’ll pony up the cash and go. And I live in a village about 70 miles from the Bering Sea, so this is not just some cheap jaunt.

So there will be at least two of us.