Stuck in the Middle

In a country that has politically polarized itself, we the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union have decided en mass to define ourselves through the inane positions our political party of choice takes on any non-issue the media can come up with. Rather than responsibly debate differences of opinion over health care, the economy, social programs, or even the war… Both Democrats and Republicans alike have been reduced to grabbing headlines on the battleground of political correctness.

The biggest casualty in this war has been the first amendment.

In what was once a post 9-11 world, the mudslinging right and left have decided that we now live in a post Janet Jackson, or a post Don Imus world, depending on which side of the political fence your misguided allegiances fall on. Whether a person’s Bill of choice is named O’Reilly or Maher, phony attention grabbing “outrage” is shouted in the media in hope of gaining political advantage. This comes at the expense of people’s livelihoods, and most importantly, it comes at the expense of the truth.

For years the Republican Party (now there’s an oxymoron) has aligned itself with the religious right, and taken to censoring anything that has to do with sex, or sexuality. Republicans will share a pulpit with anyone who claims to be speaking the word of God, and in the name of “family values” denounce anything sexually oriented as being indecent. Ironically, those preaching morality in the name of religion and censoring the way we speak about sex in radio, television, print, and even in our regular lives, refuse to recognize that the most heinous, unethical acts done throughout history were all done in the name of religion’s interpretation of God’s will. Conservative Republicans use the Christian right, which has brought us such innovative forms of censorship as burning opinionated, sexually empowered women at the stake under the guise of preserving puritan values as its basis for decency… yet they take the stance that the act of procreation, and any language describing it is immoral. You would have thought Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction was signaling the apocalypse… But we need to get rid of this Mark Foley story ASAP.

Not be outdone, the Democrats have torn a page from the McCarthy era handbook and have taken to leveling baseless accusations of racism at anyone whom they feel they can get a headline with. Just as with those who were accused of having communist ties before them, these allegations do not need to be based in fact, rather they just need to be made in order to have their desired effect, which is essentially political grandstanding. Liberal Democrats have aligned themselves with race baiters in the name of political correctness, and have sacrificed the freedom of speech our constitution guarantees in the process. Hillary Clinton for example disregarded the despicable past transgressions of Al Sharpton, and stood side by side with him denouncing Imus over his now famous “Nappy headed Ho” joke in a transparent display of politically correct showboating. This cost him sponsors, and eventually his job despite the fact that there was no FCC violation, and no laws were broken.

Claiming that Sharpton was in turn exercising his freedom of speech by threatening sponsors is as laughable as claiming that the Gambino Crime Family is exercising their right to freedom of speech when they threaten to throw you down the stairs. Staples Inc., who were among the first cowards to pull their advertising from Imus’ show, were faced with a similar boycott from the AFL/CIO a few years ago, which has a considerably larger member and economic base than does Sharpton’s National Action Network. Without fear of economic backlash from working men and women all over the country, Staples held their ground with the AFL/CIO, yet the day after a threat from the National Action Network they crumbled like a drunken fat girl on roller blades. The reality for Staples was not that it cancelled advertising because it was worried about economic backlash; it feared the politically correct reprisal of those who would level accusations of racism. Why would someone pay more than they should to have their garbage hauled away? The answer is simply because they do not wish to be thrown down the stairs.

While it doesn’t take an exceptional intellect to realize that even if we are to change language in media at the behest of singular-interest pressure groups, it is impossible to police or censor thought and intent. If we are to sincerely address these issues both cause and effect need to be examined. But censorship is never about what it appears on the surface… Politicians, both Conservative and Liberal, have found ways to circumvent the First Amendment for their own political gain, and with no regard for its long-term effects. Without legislation, they use their own brand of P.C. drivel to push their agendas by sanitizing protected free speech, and in the true nature of political correctness, they sacrifice the truth. Make no mistake, the newest form of censorship does not come in the form of law, rather it bypasses the Constitution through pressure from political lobbies and special interest groups.

A burning pile of books starts with one book. The first amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America guarantees the right of freedom of speech, not the right to not be offended. If some people didn’t find some forms of speech offensive, then it wouldn’t need any protection by the Constitution in the first place. Moreover, if the laws don’t apply to everyone unilaterally, then we need to hold people accountable for making irresponsible allegations, and the motives for which they level them.

Liberal Democrats censoring any language regarding race… Clowns to the left. Conservative Republicans censoring anything that has to do with sex….Jokers to the right.

…and here we are.