So, if you have been horrendously bored in class, you have probably ignored a little headline regarding a Colorado student newspaper that printed a column with the title above. As could be expected the Young Republicans are trying to get him to resign, businesses have withdrawn their advertising, and even CNN is reporting on this fast breaking calamity. Just a few points.
1) That doesn't make any sense. "Taser this: Fuck Bush?" What? That's idiotic. (Unless of course he was trying to get tasered, at which point he could proclaim that he shouldn't have been tasered because that is in violation of his First Amendment rights. That or he was just trying to say something provocative that he is entitled to say under the First Amendment...just cuz.)
2) I wish people would stop invoking the Freedom of Speech. Seriously. This is probably something very obvious to everybody, but I just want to make sure: The freedom of speech applies to the government. The government cannot pass laws or take action abridging your right to speech. If you say something that's really fucking stupid, I can choose not to go to your business. I can put up billboards against you. I can tell every person in the world about the douchey thing you said. The media can shun you. The populace can shun you. And they absolutely should.
When the Managing Director of the company that produces Cristal says he wishes black people wouldn't drink it...then of COURSE Jay-Z is supposed to say fuck you and bring the house down. When Don Imus talks about the "nappy headed hos", there's no problem dragging him through the streets (figuratively) and utterly destroying his career. In fact, the aftermath of both events was quite amusing.
Free speech does not make you unaccountable for making douche-bag comments. It's just (supposed) to keep you from being Tasered by your government for saying it.
(Note: I've never taken First Amendment...so if anyone wants to weigh in on how what I'm saying is incorrect, feel free. I'm just sick of hearing the oft-repeated refrain implying that people are not accountable for what they say because of the First Amendment.)
(I appear to be posting a lot more now...I'll only say that there hasn't been a single post this semester where my textbook wasn't open in front of me next to an uncapped and ready-to-roll highlighter.)
5 comments:
You're right, in my opinion, on the Free Speech deal. It protects you from the government. I would also contend that the use of the word "Fuck" was uncalled for.
I also find it amazing the lack of respect for the office of President. Not the man in the office, but the office itself. I think we have a duty to respect the power and the honor of the office of President, and using the word "Fuck" in front of the President's name is over the line. You wouldn't write "Fuck my Hiring Partner." Of course, respect for the Office has fallen based in part off the actions of the Nixon and Clinton presidencies, but still.
It always amazes me how liberal college campuses are. What I found interesting was that the seven person student board of the student paper approved the use of the term "Fuck Bush" unanimously. I would be willing to wager not one conservative is on that board. These are the same groups that champion diversity. I don't care if you agree with the conservative ideology or not, but if you value diversity wouldn't you want more viewpoints than just "liberal" and "more liberal" and "hippie" on your student paper?(Bearing in mind how my student paper screwed me over in my MA program, I may have a bias)
Lastly, I don't quite get why they are saying "Fuck Bush" anyway? What does Bush have to do with the whole tasering thing? Wasn't it John Kerry and some Campus Police trying to stop a guy who was being an ass? Is it just that people are blaming Bush for everything? Oh, I can't get laid. Must be George W.'s. Oh, global warming? Bush's fault. Giant catfish and mussel eating starfish scaring you? Blame Bush. I mean come on people, you have a majority in a branch equal in power (ostensibly) to the Executive. Why not try and change things through the legislative process like the system is designed.
Tirade over.
RS
P.S. I find this funny, I'm pretty sure other people won't.
http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2004/i_feminists-p1.php
(Obvious: RS is a Republican.)
Sure, Fuck might be uncalled for...but that's why you would write an annoying letter to the editor that we'd all laugh over while we had liberal drug binges and sex with hot hippie chicks.
I'm going to whip out the good ol' fashion argument of conservative self-selection again in terms of the liberal atmosphere of college campuses and, if the assumption is to be accepted, journalism.
Why are all professors so liberal? Given the opportunities, conservatives don't want to be professors. They want to be rich or religious. This analysis is simplistic to the point of absurdity, but I think it captures some kernel of truth.
...and I think it also applies to journalism. Conservatives generally don't seek truth in complexity, or differentiate reality into a myriad of colors. Dealing with the onslaught of difficult, but very real facts simply doesn't suit the temperaments of Coulter, O'Reilly, Hannity, Falwell, and most terrifyingly, the Bush Administration (which I'm not clear why you left off the list of Presidents who have disrespected the Presidency...because you definitely don't like him).
As for the Democrats in Congress, I'm not sure I want to talk about it. Even though the do-nothing present is enormously preferable to do-evil recent past.
Oh. and break your link posts in two pieces. It cuts off.
speech poses interesting problems: we only come to be through conversation; invocation must be an afterthought; what constitutes government action; what constitutes the government?
there's always prudence and preference, but that's a luxury for ivory.
is it a standing question?
j
You lost me. I think.
But Confucius say one rose on piano is good, but tulips on organ is better.
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