From the UK: In the Land of the Free, Only Liberals Can Cause Outrage

[BurtWorm]

From Roy Greenslade in the Guardian:


http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2010/jun/08/freedom-of-speech-usa

Why was Helen Thomas gagged?

...

But it's the next bit of the story that concerns me. She was also dumped by her speaking agency, which issued a statement: "In light of recent events, Nine Speakers is no longer able to represent Ms Thomas, nor can we condone her comments on the Middle East."

The agency's president, Diane Nine, later emailed HuffPost to say: "We no longer represent Helen for books or lectures or anything else."

So, in the land of the free, where freedom of speech is guaranteed under the constitution, a person who expresses what are deemed to be controversial views is effectively gagged. Has Ms Nine never heard of Voltaire?

I note that Thomas was also required to step down from delivering a high school graduation speech.

I imagine it's just the beginning of a process of public, and media, exclusion for Thomas. That may be a personal problem for her (though, at her age, she may not care). But, as she would be the first to grasp, it has wider implications.

It is one of those rare occasions in which one can see clearly how people in America who are willing to express anti-establishment opinions are demonised, marginalised and finally excluded from public debate.

Did I say "people"? I mean, of course, those who are identified as liberals. Right-wing TV and radio hosts can say what they like, however outrageous. Some iconoclasts are obviously freer than others.

...

[Xipe Totec]

1. Not really true. Check out David Frum

It is all about committing political heresy.

http://www.frumforum.com/how-the-gop-purged-me

And this is the heretic article that caused Frum's demise:

http://www.truthout.org/david-frum-waterloo57875

[BurtWorm]

2. Helen Thomas is being shunned by the entire Washington establishment.

For one thoughtless, throwaway statement. She's being treated like a terrorist. The CEOs of Goldman Sachs and BP get better treatment than she's been shown.

PS: Frum will work again. Of course he's much younger than she is. I can imagine she'll be able to start a second career as a radical gadfly only Amy Goodman will talk to, but that may be her best and only shot.

[nichomachus]

7. But yet, when Dick Armey

and Tom Delay said that the Palestinians should leave -- or should be forcibly removed -- no one batted an eyelash. Hmmmmm.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

15. WHO OWNS THE MEDIA...... WELL?

BERNIE MADOFF WOULD KNOW

[Gaedel]

8. How about?

Earl Butz

Al Davis

Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder

[BurtWorm]

12. That was then, this is now.

Rush Limbaugh says the same stupid shit Butz and Snyder said every day. I don't see him getting his fat, boil-covered ass kicked to the curb (where it belongs).

[Xipe Totec]

13. That's because saying stupid things is totally consistent with the right wing

For the left, saying stupid things is not the norm.

[BurtWorm]

16. The right wing has paid a lot of money to convince the center that its ideas are 'normal'

and left wing ideas are extreme.

[Blue_Tires]

3. k+r

[joeybee12]

4. Yup, the whole reaction is nauseating...n/t

[Uncle Joe]

5. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, BurtWorm.

[BeFree]

6. so

the left threw her under the bus?

look, the lady made a mockery of the M$M stooges. They laid in wait ready to attack her.

if she resigns, they should all resign. if they lynch her, they should all be lynched,

[HowHasItComeToThis]

14. WE HAVE NO VOICE, THE MEAN SCREAM MEDIA HAS DESTROYED AMERICA

THEY ARE AT THE ROOT. IT ALL STARTED WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF DAN RATHER

[Mari333]

9. Ill raise a pint to this OP and knr

[malaise]

10. K &R

The truth shall set us free

[Malikshah]

11. Yup-- US MSM is as cowardly as ever. Never seen such a group of lily-livered

sycophants.

[laughingliberal]

17. K & R nt

[Mushroom]

18. Oily land of the free

Burt of Tremors 3: Back to Perfection sums it all up for me:

"What kind of supreme being would condone such irony."