The Ellis County Press: Free Speech is as Free Speech Does…

Free Speech is as Free Speech Does…
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Bobby Eberle on 01/11/2011 09:34:00


January 11, 2011 7:13 am Oh, those lovely, sweet-spoken people on the left. They
embrace free speech. They love free speech. This is quite evident in what they
say. To them, the rules don’t apply, and they can say whatever pops into their
minds. But say something the left disagrees with, and they throw a fit. Free
speech is not so free, and they look for ways to shut it down.    That’s
exactly what’s happening in the aftermath of the tragic shootings in Arizona.
A crazy person acts, and the left want conservatives to pay for it. One Democrat
wants new restrictions on free speech, saying, “Free speech is as free speech
does.” Ok, Forrest Gump, let’s take a look at who’s saying what.
Investigators have been pouring over the background of Jared Loughner, trying to
find out what makes this guy tick. Interviews with friends and associates
suggest a “disturbed” person. As the Associated Press reports, there’s no
evidence Loughner’s motive was political.
Steven Cates, who attended an advanced poetry writing class with Loughner at
Pima Community College last spring, said he didn’t recall Loughner talking
about politics.
“He didn’t seem very interested in politics. Whatever politics were brought
up in class, he seemed to tune it out,” Cates said.
And yet, depsite the not one shred of evidence that Loughner was spurred on by
any particular element of ideology, the liberals are up in arms. According to
The Post and Courier, Democrat Rep. Jim Clyburn said that “the deadly shooting
in Arizona should get the country thinking about what’s acceptable to say
publicly and when people should keep their mouths shut.” Excuse me, but what
was said??? Clyburn then added, “Free speech is as free speech does.” Ok, we
can see that this is not going to be an intelligent conversation.
Clyburn said he thinks vitriol in public discourse led to a 22-year-old suspect
opening fire Saturday at an event Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords held
for her constituents in Tucson, Ariz. Six people were killed and 14 others were
injured, including Giffords.
The shooting is cause for the country to rethink parameters on free speech,
Clyburn said from his office, just blocks from the South Carolina Statehouse. He
wants standards put in place to guarantee balanced media coverage with a
reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine, in addition to calling on elected
officials and media pundits to use ‘better judgment.’
So now we are looking to legislate better judgement? Exactly how does one
accomplish such a feat? In addition, if Clyburn wants to eliminate “vitriol”
in public discourse, he’s going to have a lot of work on his hands.