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Roseanne’s Firing Is Not a Free-Speech Issue
National Review ^ | May 29, 2018 | KATHERINE TIMPF

Posted on 05/30/2018 9:09:46 AM PDT by reaganaut1

ABC had every right to dump her, and political correctness was not involved. In case you haven’t heard, Roseanne Barr did something really awful and stupid on Tuesday morning.

In a now-deleted tweet, Barr made a racist comment about former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, saying that she was like the “Muslim brotherhood and Planet of the Apes had a baby.” A matter of hours later, her hit ABC sitcom was canceled.

There’s no denying that what Barr said was racist, or that she was dumb for having said it. She has since apologized, and has probably also reached the conclusion that it wasn’t worth it. In all honesty, I’ve never understood why people aren’t more careful on social media. I’ve always sarcastically said that the best thing about Twitter is that not only do you not get paid for your tweets, but you can also get fired for them. It really is one of the more idiotic ways to ruin a career, and I can never make sense of it whenever it happens.

But what’s done is done, and there’s no turning back. She was fired, and she deserved to be fired. Her comment was racist and unacceptable, and I would not want someone who had made that kind of comment representing my company, either. It really seems that simple to me, but oddly enough, I’ve actually seen some conservatives defending her — saying that her firing is an example of the rampant political correctness that flies in the face of free speech — and honestly, this is something that I just can’t understand.

First of all, this is in no way a free-speech or First Amendment issue. The First Amendment protects us from facing consequences from the government over our speech, not consequences from our peers or our employers.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abc; freespeech; roseanne; roseannebarr; roseannecancelled
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To: Vermont Lt
I respectfully disagree.

If I built Twitter or the next big social media tool, I have no obligation to provide free speech.

At one time I believed that. I eventually saw the danger inherent in believing that, and I realize that a form of government which cannot protect it's own existence will be supplanted by one that will.

Our system of governance relies on an informed populace making good decisions based on the best available information and ideas of that time. Anything that interferes with this is inimical to our form of government. Even if censorship is done solely by private companies, if it is sufficient to interfere with good decisions by the voting public, it will eventually destroy the system upon which our government works.

It would be supplanted by a totalitarian one that concerns itself not with public freedom.

The Constitution covers government. It has nothing (well, very little to do) with capitalism.

The Constitution is not the only thing that comes into it. Slavery was legal, indeed protected under the US Constitution, but it was still morally wrong and contrary to the best interests of the people. So is allowing a small group of people to control the speech of the rest.

If all the public communications was under the control of one person, I think you could see what sort of threat this would pose to the freedoms of the populace. I say the same threat is posed under an oligarchy of control if it be of one mind about what sort of speech gets controlled.

I think you are trying to make this about Roseanne and her offensive commentary, but this is not about her or what she said. It is about the ability of dissidents to say things of which the dominant group does not approve.

201 posted on 05/30/2018 1:43:17 PM PDT by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: IrishBrigade
quoting Alexander Stephens again...?

If they weren't offering an amendment to abolish slavery before the war, (indeed, they were offering one to protect it) then they can hardly be taken seriously that they were motivated by a concern for them after the war.

202 posted on 05/30/2018 1:45:34 PM PDT by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: DiogenesLamp

I don’t really care all that much about what TV people say or do.

There are plenty of places where dissent is “allowed.” You can still go stand on the corner of the town square and spout out about whatever you want.

What drives me nuts is the “outrage.” I hope these people never really have anything outrageous happen to them! Heads could explode.


203 posted on 05/30/2018 1:48:17 PM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: Vermont Lt
There are plenty of places where dissent is “allowed.” You can still go stand on the corner of the town square and spout out about whatever you want.

And you can match a flintlock against an M16, and I can guarantee which one is going to win.

Town Square was viable in 1787, it is simply not now. Freedom of Speech doesn't work if the means of communicating with the larger audience is not available to all.

What drives me nuts is the “outrage.” I hope these people never really have anything outrageous happen to them!

When Hitler ordered troops into the Rhineland, they had orders that at the first sign of allied resistance they were to leave. None materialized.

Heads could explode.

If this sort of thing isn't stopped early, heads could literally explode.

204 posted on 05/30/2018 1:57:55 PM PDT by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: DiogenesLamp
I was just thinking about this aspect earlier today.

Apparently no:

Abraham Lincoln manipulated events so that he could get family to turn against family; To get brother killing brother. How can that be anything but evil?

With all due respect, DL, please put down the Lincoln-hater crack pipe. And stop drinking so heavily too.

205 posted on 05/30/2018 2:09:35 PM PDT by sargon ("If the President doesn't drain the Swamp, the Swamp will drain the President.")
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To: petitfour
What are the politics of Islam and the book/movie “Planet of the Apes”?

Without question, the politics of Islam are fair game. Barr's "Planet of the Apes" comment had nothing to do with politics but rather it was a stab at Jarrett's physical characteristics. Is it legal to characterize our enemies as apes or worst, yes. It's called free speech. Lincoln, like Jarrett, was skewered in a similar way by his political enemies.

One could argue that Barr's treatment of Jarrett is par for the course in American politics and you'd be right.

I personally believe that we better serve conservatism by focusing on issues and not the physical characteristics of our political enemies.

206 posted on 05/30/2018 2:09:53 PM PDT by JesusIsLord
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To: JesusIsLord

In point of fact, Lincoln was called “Ape” by his enemies.


207 posted on 05/30/2018 2:12:18 PM PDT by HandyDandy ("Do you think the rain will hurt the rhubarb?")
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To: sargon
With all due respect, DL, please put down the Lincoln-hater crack pipe. And stop drinking so heavily too.

I don't really hate Lincoln so much as I recognize him as the source of much of the current systemic problems with American Government and corrupt influence by "Globalists" as they are calling them nowadays.

Lincoln was patient zero for what ails us now.

208 posted on 05/30/2018 2:21:32 PM PDT by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: Lazamataz
Maybe with a snoot full of Ambien and a few other things, who knows? They don't call them "Ambien Zombies" for nothing.
209 posted on 05/30/2018 2:23:52 PM PDT by PLMerite ("They say that we were Cold Warriors. Yes, and a bloody good show, too." - Robert Conquest)
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To: Principled
She’s protesting using her free speech. Just like the NFL kneelers.

The NFL kneelers are using the venue in which they work to protest. Rosanne would have had to work it in her script or ask to do a live show where she could pull off a stunt.

Just like ABC can let Rosanne go, the NFL can let the kneelers go.

ABC fired Rosanne for comments made off set and in her private time. The NFL lost control of the presentation of their product and by default backed an unpatriotic protest. Had NFL players worked in their private time for their political movements I doubt there would have been any large problem with ratings.

So the NFL let players get away with something worse than what Roseanne did. ABC cancels a whole series that was doing well for a small tweet. This is totally PC and anti-first amendment.

So if a doctor Tweets something on a political forum that is taken the wrong way he should lose his license?

Should a lawyer who defends a skin head in court be shunned by society? If that lawyer tweets something positive about his client should he be disbarred?

That's the point of this. We are losing our free speech rights. The left is making an example of Roseanne because they need to keep the Hollywood elite in line. The elite need to know that if they go conservative: every statement, every tweet will be scrutinized until they can find one that they can "black list" you on (a term from the days of the House Un-American activities committee not meant in any derogatory way). This is unleftist activities committee (a cabal of leftists in power positions in American society) letting everyone know they won't work if they stray too far from the leftist group think.

Once this works on Roseanne (and it looks like it has) the leftist minions will be police the internet and go after John Q Public. So if you tweet something out in the middle of the night should your employer be able to fire you for it? If I catch you saying things that are anti-left. I complain to the company you work for and I have a good chance to get you fired, welcome to the Fascist States of America.

210 posted on 05/30/2018 2:25:20 PM PDT by stig
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To: Hostage
I’ll be honest with you, You’re not helping yourself here. Your acumen is not matched to the level of discussion you’re trying to carry on.

I'll just have to learn to live with your disapproval.

211 posted on 05/30/2018 2:34:39 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: reaganaut1

It’s hard to believe Timpf went to Hillsdale

She’s so politically correct and non culture

Man she woulda fit in great here 1997-2007


212 posted on 05/30/2018 3:16:57 PM PDT by wardaddy (Hanged not hung.)
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To: reaganaut1

I don’t know why people have to tweet every thought that comes into their head. Don’t they have a thought filter? This I can say, this may just want to keep to myself.

Especially when every jerk out there is looking for a reason to be triggered.


213 posted on 05/30/2018 3:24:05 PM PDT by hattend
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To: robroys woman

Amen


214 posted on 05/30/2018 3:32:39 PM PDT by wardaddy (Hanged not hung.)
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To: circlecity

Some major differences:

1. Roseanne did it ONCE. Like none of us has ever tweeted, texted, emailed, or said something stupid we later regretted. Kapernick did it repeatedly; it was not a momentary lapse of judgment.

2. Roseanne was fired for what she did. Kapernick was not.

3. Roseanne apologized. Kapernick doubled down.


215 posted on 05/30/2018 4:14:44 PM PDT by generally ( Don't be stupid. We have politicians for that.)
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To: generally

Once? Rosanne has been doing this her entire career. What about the picture of her dressed as Hitler taking burnt gingerbread men out of an oven? And Kap certainly did get fired from the niners- that’s why you don’t see him playing football anymore. Just like you won’t ever see Roseanne in a TV series again.


216 posted on 05/30/2018 4:39:46 PM PDT by circlecity
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To: circlecity

Ok, good point. I guess I don’t follow/watch Roseanne, so I’ve never heard of that.

But I thought Kaepernick opted out of his contract so he could be a free agent, and then no one picked him up. That’s not quite the same as being fired. I don’t follow him either, so I could be wrong about that.


217 posted on 05/30/2018 5:10:42 PM PDT by generally ( Don't be stupid. We have politicians for that.)
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To: reaganaut1

Y’all haven’t figured it out, have you. It is a free speech issue, and Roseanne has spoken. So has President Trump.

LOL!

Keep thinkin’. Think until your heads hurt.

[Cue the howling sound in “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” theme song.]

LOL! Well done, Roseanne! Well done!


218 posted on 05/31/2018 1:02:23 AM PDT by familyop ("Welcome to Costco. I love you." - -Costco greeter in the movie, "Idiocracy")
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To: robroys woman

It was racist towards apes.


219 posted on 05/31/2018 1:44:07 AM PDT by Impy (I have no virtue to signal.)
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To: DoodleDawg
DoodleDawg - I don't know your position or conversation w/in this thread but I gotta tell you, I love your reply:

"I'll just have to learn to live with your disapproval."

That line will go into my sarcastic reply file. Love it!!

220 posted on 05/31/2018 7:27:14 AM PDT by JesusIsLord
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