DANGER, WILL ROBINSON! DANGER!!!

There is a dangerous move afoot among the political class in these United States. As bad as the stinkulus bill is, and as dangerous as many of the plans of the new administration and Congress are, they truly pale (at least in my mind) to the dangerous move to clamp down on free speech.

Free speech is truly the bedrock of all that we hold dear as Americans. Some would argue that Freedom of religion, assembly, the right to bear arms, etc. are equally important. And they are valid arguments. But "speech" must be held most dear if the others will be preserved. Without a vehicle to persuade others of the rightness of our other freedoms, they all will surely disappear.

The dangerous move afoot is to reinstate "The Fairness Doctrine," or devise a new public policy that provides "balance" to what the public is allowed to hear over the airwaves. There is an article on World Net Daily that deals with this move. It focuses on Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow, but chronicles many statements and actions by officials over the last few years. The article is worth the time.

A particularly troubling quote from FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell: McDowell further suggested that the FCC may already be gearing up to enforce the "Fairness Doctrine" through community advisory boards that help determine local programming. While radio stations use the boards on a voluntary basis now, McDowell warned if the advisory panels become mandatory, "Would not such a policy be akin to a re-imposition of the Doctrine, albeit under a different name and sales pitch?"

First of all, the very idea that the airwaves belong to the public is total hooey! The airwaves belong to those with the wherewithal to use them. They belong to the man that takes the risk of building, purchasing equipment, and then uses them for the purpose of providing income to himself and others...or to spread his philosophy.

Anyone with a brain knows that this effort is to accomplish just one thing...the destruction of conservative talk radio. It will be shrouded, and couched with magnanamous "feel-good" terms under the guise of "expanding liberty," or "granting broader access to all", etc. But this is really all it is about. The lefties hate Rush Limbaugh, and right wing radio. It is offensive to them, and a new "fairness" policy will effectively shut down the offense.

What is speech? Rap music is speech. Much of it is vulgar speech, but speech nonetheless. Occasionally I will catch an urban radio station while scanning. Within 10 seconds you can hear about "bitches, hos, and m-fing bitches and hos." This is offensive to me. But the very idea that any public policy would require this urban station to offset that with "How Great Thou Art" offends me even more.

Racist speech is speech. If a white supremecist can find a platform over the airwaves to proclaim that niggers are less than human, and spics are destroying the country, and welfare porch monkeys should be sent back to Africa...so be it. While some would call that "hate speech," who is harmed? It is offensive certainly, but not as offensive as a law requiring it to be refuted in the next segment.

Faith is speech. There are hundreds of Christian/religious radio stations in the US. The risk has been taken, the money invested, and their message of faith goes out over the airwaves. Trust me, the message of Christ is offensive to many. I would hope though that for those offended folks, a law requiring "atheist hour" would be even more offensive.

Political contributions are speech. Thanks to John McCain, a constitutionally blind Congress, President Bush's lily-livered refusal to protect the Constitution with a veto, and an out of control Supreme Court, an erosion of freedom of speech has already begun with Campaign Finance Reform. We must not allow any further erosion, and indeed we must petition Congress to reverse this erosion.

I'm not a "demonstration" type guy. I believe in telling my representatives what I want, but mass gatherings in protest kinda turn me off. But if some "fairness in broadcasting" legislation is debated in Congress in the future. MARCH BABY MARCH!!! It will spread to an "Internet Fairness" move...and to a push for "Religious Fairness."

If we allow this, it will not stop...only snowball. Then you just hide and watch as the other freedoms we hold dear are wiped out in the avalanche.