Censorship Anyone? Introducing the Thought Police

I don't really think that it's healthy to get as mad as I do about things. Injustice, hypocrisy, blatant lies and personal attacks on those exercising their constitutional liberties really, really get my dander up.

We've heard much ado about the Fairness Doctrine over the past year or so. Fred Thompson speaks out against this intrusive governmental policy being implemented again:

High Praise in The American Thinker
Fairness Doctrine Makes No Sense in Today’s World
Posted on October 8th, 2007
By Fred in Individual Liberty, Commentaries

[NOTE: The American Spectator reports this chilling news:

Rep. Henry Waxman has asked his investigative staff to begin compiling reports on Limbaugh, and fellow radio hosts Sean Hannity and Mark Levin based on transcripts from their shows, and to call in Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin to discuss the so-called “Fairness Doctrine.”

“Limbaugh isn’t the only one who needs to be made uncomfortable about what he says on the radio,” says a House leadership source. “We don’t have as big a megaphone as these guys, but this all political, and we’ll do what we can to gain the advantage. If we can take them off their game for a while, it will help our folks out there on the campaign trail.”

This news about Democrats trampling on the First Amendment for political purposes ties into Fred’s latest commentary. –Sean]

Whether it’s the situation in Iraq, talking about the economy, or the culture, conservatives and like-minded people are putting up a fight on TV, radio and alternative forms of media, and challenging what Democrats and some in the mainstream media would like to set as conventional wisdom. So – big surprise – Democrats are crying foul and are literally trying to change the rules. The latest example of this is Democrat attempts to pull the Fairness Doctrine out of the dustbin of history.

The Fairness Doctrine is an artifact from the days when there were only a handful of television channels and radio stations on our dials. Then, there might have been something to the fear that somebody might get control of all the media outlets in an area — so equal time rules were put in place.

As television and radio stations increased, it became clear that the rule was a bust. Instead of protecting free speech, it imposed costs on broadcasters that killed political discussion entirely. Why run the risk of dealing with anything controversial and having the regulators and the lawyers come down on you? Instead of talking about issues, news directors used stopwatches to measure candidates’ airtime.

Finally, in 1987, the Federal Communications Commission ended the antiquated policy. Today, with more cable, satellite, and local access TV channels than anybody can keep track of — the equal time rule makes even less sense. Throw in the Internet, podcasts, and satellite radio, and it’s absurd.

(...)

Insiders say it was the collapse of the radio station “Air America” that led to this attempt to retool the Fairness Doctrine as a form of de facto censorship. I guess the idea is that, if you can’t compete in the world of ideas, you pass a law that forces radio stations to air your views. In effect, it would force a lot of radio stations to drop some talk show hosts — because they would lose money providing equal airtime to people who can’t attract a market or advertisers.

(...)

Now congressional leaders say they want to “level the playing field” there too – meaning they want to diminish the importance of conservative talk radio. In other words, they don’t trust the results of freedom and the marketplace. Why am I not surprised?

I'm not surprised, either. The left want nothing more than to shut down and shut up conservative commentators, conservative radio, and conservative blogging.

As seen on WUA earlier today how that CNN doesn't consider reporting good news from Iraq as being newsworthy, and how many people distrust the media. That's really great, guys, and it goes to show EXACTLY why we need the conservative outlets.

Let's call a spade a spade, shall we? This isn't a Fairness Doctrine, it's the inception of the Thought Police.

Government belongs to the PEOPLE, the people do NOT belong to the government.

Make America safe again, people. Fire the liberals in political office next election season. The LAST thing they want is to protect your individual rights afforded to you by the Constitution.

Again, I have to call this...Inverted...

Once and Always, an American Fighting Man

Rubber Chicken Soup and SCHIPS: Dinner Time for Liberal Land

The Democrats were BUSTED OUT this weekend for their use of a 12 year old boy making a pity plea for the SCHIP legislation. The problem? They didn't do their homework, and probably didn't count on anyone else checking either. As WAU showed yesterday, there is something clearly rotten in Denmark on this one.

Couple that with the reintroduction of the Fairness Doctrine in regards to conservative talk radio, and Hillary Clinton's hiring of Sandy Berger as an "adviser," AND Barack Hussien Obama's removal of the American Flag pin from his lapel, calling it "false patriotism" to wear it, it's been a busy week for the Democratics.

For their efforts, collectively and individually, Wake Up America proudly presents this weeks Rubber Chicken Award to the Democratic Party.


Running a close second, earning a Rubber Ducky Award, are CNN and WAPO, for their stance that "good news is no news" in regards to Iraq.

Keep up the great work, guys!

Once and Always, an American Fighting Man

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Random Thoughts

Global Jihad

I suppose it's no secret now, except maybe to the extreme left in this country, that Radical Islam has declared war on the West. It boggles my mind how that the left can look at what is being said, HEAR what is being said, see what is being done, and refuse to acknowledge that our way of life is under attack. With two attacks on the World Trade Center, one which completely and utterly destroyed it, they stick their heads in the sand and pretend that it will all just go away if we stop our operations in the Middle East and come home. Do they honestly believe that those who wish to see us DEAD or subjected will stop just because we withdraw our troops? The stated GOAL of these people is to see the United States and Israel FALL. Are they so used to lying that they think everyone does it? Are they so blind to the fact that the stated GOAL of the Jihad is global Islam? Or is this what they want, hoping that there will be some sort of "special place for them" for their help in making this happen? Makes you wonder. I can't get over some of our retired generals with their criticisms of our involvements, our operations that ARE WORKING in securing the area; where are the Patton's, the Eisenhower's, the Bradley's of our time? Where is Stormin' Norman? Where ARE our heroes?

Superman where are you now?

We need heroes. We need someone to believe in, someone to look up to, someone to give us hope. Humankind is geared to a belief in something stronger than ourselves, something bigger, something more than what we are as individuals. Our own awareness of our mortality lends us to a belief in something bigger than mankind, something supernatural, something "beyond the strength of mortal man." Many people turn to religions for this, others turn to friends, some to individuals in the media. Unfortunately, we seem to be choosing the wrong people as the focus of our attentions...

Paris and Lindsey who?

I can't begin to tell you how SICK I am of hearing about Paris Hilton. WHAT has she done that has been in ANY way productive to society? Lindsey Lohan, Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, I feel the same way about them. Britney Spears goes off the deep end, shaves her head, gets locked up in rehab, and she's praised for it? WHAT is WRONG with people that THIS is what we look to as "role models?" I certainly hope my OWN daughter doesn't try to emulate these "ladies." I hope she wants better for herself than infamy, because in my mind, to call this "being famous" is a horrible concept. Pacman Jones, don't think you've escaped my eye either just because you're not female. Your behavior has been appalling, disgusting, and out of control. You've yet to behave like a man.

The "Fairness Doctrine"

When a liberal complains "it isn't fair," you can rest assured that they've been defeated and are whining about how it was done. This is especially true concerning the radio waves. Air America failed miserably. No ammount of money that George Soros has pumped into it has helped. Why? The people who listen to talk radio don't WANT liberal hosts to listen to. They want to hear conservative talk hosts. Market after market has shown this over and over again. Larry King's radio show? History. Al Franken? Crash and burn. Laura Ingraham, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, G. Gordon Liddy? All thriving with growing audiences. What does this say about what people want to hear? I think it's obvious, personally. To institute the "fairness doctrine" would be completely and totally unfair to the American public, forcing them to endure periods where they would be turning OFF their radios and not listening rather than being force fed something they don't want to hear. As a talk radio listener myself, I know that the minute I hear that tripe come on I'm changing stations or slipping in a CD.

Double Standards

George W. Bush is under fire for the firing of a number of U.S. Attorney's. The Democratic controlled Congress is issuing subpeonas and demanding investigations. Where were they when Janet Reno fired EVERY U.S. Attorney during Bill Clinton's presidency? Where was the outrage? Where were the demands for explanations? Look back at things over the past few decades. The backbiting and posturing of BOTH sides of the aisle is unbelievable. "I can do such and such, but we're not letting you get by with it, no sir, no way, no HOW." It amazes me how that politicians are so willing to point fingers and accuse each other of wrong doing, only to act shocked and amazed when their own dirty laundry is aired. And the public is so willing to IGNORE wrong doing, depending on who the culprit is. Hillary Clinton is probably one of the most scandelized Senators to have ever been sworn into office. She flipflops constantly, she has no shame in changing her story to suit the moment, and she's applauded as being "brilliant." The only thing I see "brilliant" about Mrs. Clinton is her ability to lie through her teeth and point the finger of blame at others while she's as guilty as sin of the same and worse. This is the norm for several members of our government, Hillary Clinton is the main one that comes to mind at this writing, especially given her obviously Marxist leanings...

The Common Good

What, exactly, is the "common good?" According to Hillary Clinton, it means equalizing things to the point where the rich are no longer rich and the poor have more money. Think I'm wrong? Go find some of her statements. Go find some of her speeches. Listen to her when she speaks. "It takes a village?" It takes a family, not the entire neighborhood. If I caught a neighbor punishing my child for something rather than letting me know that they had done something, there would be HELL to pay. "The common good" is a way of pressing for more tax money from YOUR paycheck. More of YOUR money being put into public coffers for more public programs run by the government which will waste more of YOUR money. How much more money can you stand to pay in in taxes? Look at your paystub sometime. Look at how much you are actually paid as compared to how much you bring home after taxes. Then take a look at how much you pay in sales taxes. Fuel taxes. Property taxes. Wheel taxes. Can you think of anything else they
can tax you for? They can...

Doing the work of the people

Why do we send people into government in the first place? To make laws, to do what we need them to do for us. What exactly is that, anyway? Do we NEED more laws? How many laws do we already have, anyway? Does anyone know? Why do we constantly need to have new laws passed? I'll confess that from time to time things come up that do need handling, yes, but to constantly bombard us with new laws? Is this freedom? Is this the "will of the people?" Just this last week the people had to FIGHT their senators to make them shoot down a piece of bad legislation, this illegal amnesty bill that was being pushed through. I'll refer you back to talk radio for this one, because talk radio made the public aware of it, along with the internet, via blog sites like ours. The dinosaur media didn't report on it, not in any detail. Now ask yourself this; how much other bad legislation has been passed that you don't know about? How many
CONTRADICTORY laws have been passed? How many that are direct violations of the Constitution? I'll give you a little hint, every law restricting gun ownership by private law abiding citizens could be taken as being unconstitutional. There is NOTHING in the Constitution that allows for an income tax. The overWHELMING reach of the federal goverment is in direct violation of the Constitution. So what can we, as citizens, do about it?

Taking a stand

The first thing individual citizens can do to retake control of their government, OUR government, is to STOP being ignorant of what our government is doing. STOP relying on the nightly news and the daily newspaper to keep you informed. STOP paying MORE attention to Paris, Lindsey, Jessica, Pacman and the rest instead of what's going on at your city council or county commission. Do you KNOW who your city council and county commission members are? The running of this country belongs to US, the citizens. It's time we the people ran our government again.

Who is John Galt?

Ayn Rand created this catch phrase in her novel, Atlas Shrugged. The character, John Galt, set out to "stop the engine that runs the world." He succeeded. How? By going around to different people in key positions in industry and showing them how that they were being taken advantage of, and convincing them to walk away and live for themselves, not for others. He established a place where they could go and do what they loved to do without the constraints of government, a government that was robbing them of their creativity and individuality. Their oath upon entering Galt's private world? "I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine." Isn't that a great concept? That
our lives belong to us, and not to others? It brings to mind a great sense of purpose to be the rugged individuals that made our country great to begin with, instead of the whining, sniveling, mooching looters that are trying to infect our country now. There was even a message for these people from the album "Hell Freezes Over..."


Get Over It

Often we hear a song on the radio that catches our ear. Most of the time we don't really pay that much attention to the words, even if they convey a specific theme or message. One of my favorite songs of all time that conveys a message is one by The Eagles, entitled "Get Over It."

In my mind, this song gives a very clear message about the feelings of a great many of us in regards to what we see and hear on television today.

Get Over It

The Eagles

I turn on the tube and what do I see
A whole lotta people cryin' 'Don't blame me'
They point their crooked little fingers ar everybody else
Spend all their time feelin' sorry for themselves
Victim of this, victim of that
Your momma's too thin; your daddy's too fat

Get over it
Get over it
All this whinin' and cryin' and pitchin' a fit
Get over it, get over it

You say you haven't been the same since you had your little crash
But you might feel better if I gave you some cash
The more I think about it, Old Billy was right
Let's kill all the lawyers, kill 'em tonight
You don't want to work, you want to live like a king
But the big, bad world doesn't owe you a thing

Get over it
Get over it
If you don't want to play, then you might as well split
Get over it, Get over it

It's like going to confession every time I hear you speak
You're makin' the most of your losin' streak
Some call it sick, but I call it weak

You drag it around like a ball and chain
You wallow in the guilt; you wallow in the pain
You wave it like a flag, you wear it like a crown
Got your mind in the gutter, bringin' everybody down
Complain about the present and blame it on the past
I'd like to find your inner child and kick its little ass

Get over it
Get over it
All this bitchin' and moanin' and pitchin' a fit
Get over it, get over it

Get over it
Get over it
It's gotta stop sometime, so why don't you quit
Get over it, get over it

Once and Always, an American Fighting Man


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Imus: a commentary

Unless you've been hiding under a rock the past couple of weeks, then you know exactly what I'm talking about when I mention Don Imus. Without going into all the details yet again, the consequences of what was said on the Imus show have been the loss of both his radio show and the MSNBC simulcast of it. Probably a just decision, all things considered, but let's take a look at a few things from a broader point of view.

What Don Imus said on his nationally syndicated program was wrong. You'll get no argument from me that he should have said what was said about the Rutgers basketball players. Did he have the RIGHT to say what he said? If one looks at the Constitution, according to the First Amendment, yes, he was well within his rights to say whatever he chose to say. Should he have said it? No. Free speech means you have the right to say something, personal responsibility calls for self-censorship in NOT saying things of a hateful and vile nature. Imus is 66 years old. He should have known better. That being said, he has been allowed to make disparaging comments about others for long enough that I'm sure he didn't see any big deal in opening his mouth and inserting his foot one more time.

Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton (I refuse to refer to these men as "Reverend" for reasons that I'll get into in a few minutes) led a widely publicized campaign this past couple of weeks to have Imus removed from the airwaves. They used their influence and their energies to stir up an outcry of outrage that eventually led to Imus' dismissal from his contracts with CBS and MSNBC. In watching this spectacle unfold the past couple of weeks, several questions have come to my mind.

Where has the outrage been by Sharpton and Jackson, both proclaiming to be ministers, at Rosie O'Donnell in her hateful talk against Christians and against our nation on "The View?" O'Donnell shows absolutely no remorse in her comments, continues to spout off unchecked, and continues to show her ignorance in making statements about the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay. All you have to do is look in the papers or in the news online to see that these detainees have gained weight during their detention, have been given copies of the Koran to read, allowed time to pray, and are even being allowed and encouraged to partake in sports, baseball in particular. Yet the great and all knowing Rosie lashes out at every occasion to tell how badly these people, who request the Harry Potter books in high numbers from the library at Gitmo, are being denied decent treatment.

Where is the outrage of Jackson and Sharpton at the hip-hop and rap industry in THEIR constant abusive language against women, against whites, against law enforcement? Where is their outcry against numerous black comedians when they cut down whites and other races? I've literally turned off Martin Lawrence and Dave Chappell, among others, for their racist and bigoted comments while doing their stand up routines.

Jackson and Sharpton are not without their own racist pasts, either. Jackson has referred to Jews as "Hymie's," Sharpton has referred to Jews as "Diamond Merchants." These are the words of people who would throw condemnations at another? And yet these two men are allowed to make their own apoligies for their statements and to continue on in their self appointed positions of being civic leaders? Where is the forgiveness for Don Imus in his situation? I'll tell you where; the Lady Rutgers basketball team. The very targets of the hateful comments have had the grace, dignity, and self-respect to vocalize their acceptance of Imus' apology. Will we see Sharpton and Jackson do the same? I seriously doubt it.

A double standard definitely exists in this country. It's ok for one group of people to be hateful and biased, bigoted and racist, but not for others. As to my refusal to refer to these two men as Reverend? I grew up in the church. I know what the duties and responsibilities of a man of God are. They are supposed to be the ones to promote healing, the ones to promote peace, the ones to be advocates, not instigators. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. promoted a message of unity and brotherhood. Jesse Jackson was WITH King when he was assassinated, which must mean that King thought that Jackson would be someone to carry on the message of unity and equality. As I see it, that has been the polar OPPOSITE of what Jackson has done in the years since. No, I will not refer to these two men as "Reverend" when their actions don't show that they deserve it.

And before anyone comes out with "he's just a white boy with a gripe about this whole thing," let me play my own "race card" here. Six hundred years ago, SOME of my ancestors on this continent had no idea what a white man even looked like. In the 1800's a great number of them where rounded up and herded from the southeast out into the Oklahoma territory. I may be a mixed breed, and may not look as Cherokee as others, but I'm damned proud of my heritage, and AS a mixed breed, I know that there's a difference between being someone promoting unity, and someone continuing to drive a wedge into a situation of disharmony that already exists.

The Trail of Tears, the Holocaust...two reasons I suppose that I've always been a Zionist, and have adopted the words of the Jew of "Never Again" as my own, as well.

Maybe this is something these two self-proclaimed religions and civic "leaders" should think about in their advancing years, instead of propagating more hatred.

Just the rambling thoughts of one who is...

Once and Always, an American Fighting Man

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American Nazis: the Bastardization of Free Speech

How many of you out there have kids? Have they ever done anything that was beyond the bounds of your intentions with their freedoms? We've already discussed the Imus thing today (and for the past two weeks, ai ai ai ai ai) and determined that while Don Imus had the RIGHT to say the things he said, should he have said them?

NOT going to digress here. Before I continue, hat tip to Captain's Quarters for this one:

On April 20, 2007, the American National Socialist Workers Party of Roanoke, VA—a neo-Nazi group—plans to march through the predominantly African-American neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine in Cincinnati. The city initially issued a permit to the group for its march, but the permit was soon revoked and prohibitions were added by city officials limiting the group’s demonstration to a three-block area. Believing their constitutional rights to free speech and free assembly have been violated, the ACLU of Ohio will be defending the demonstrators.

Read the rest of it here.

Here is the thing. The Nazi party was banned in Europe at the end of World War II during denazification. Nazism resulted in the deaths of over 6 million Jews in Europe in an attempt at genocide( the Holocaust, for those of you who need a little reeducation on the subject). Nazism has a proven track record of promoting hatred, violence, and death. There is nothing noble for which the ideology stands. Their message is one of superiority of one "master race" rather than the proven power of the individual.

Does a city government have the responsibility to maintain peace and order within it's boundaries? Yes. Given the proven track record of the Nazi party, and they can try to water the name down by taking it to it's root "National Socialist" all they want to but a pig is still a pig no matter if you try to call it Sophie, the town of Cincinnati, Ohio was well within it's legal rights to take the steps that it has taken.

I know I'm not with a majority on this one, as it falls under the "free speech" category. I honestly think that these groups deliberatly do things like this in an attempt to push the envelope and undermine the intentions of the First Amendment. As I said regarding Don Imus, Freedom of Speech carries with it the responsibility of self-control. Freedom of Speech does NOT expressly give a group or an individual the right to incite hatred or violence. Freedom of Speech was designed to ensure that individuals could speak their minds without fear of the government arresting them for their words. It was not, never has been, a free license to promote hatred and bigotry.

As I've said before on this site, I was a soldier in our nations armed forces. Our very task was the protection of the citizenry of this country to live freely under the guarantees of the Constitution. This ensures the rights of all people, even the left, to speak their minds. Promoting hatred, promoting racism, in my mind, are not "speaking your mind." In MY mind, promoting these things are acts of sedition against our people, and against our government, a government which was established BY the people, OF the people, and FOR the people. Not just one group of people.

Contact the ACLJ today to encourage them to fight the ACLU on this.

We cannot allow the re rise of Nazism. Too many have been murdered on its altar already.

Never again.

NEVER again.

Once and Always, an American Fighting Man


What others are saying about this:

When the Nazis Came to Skokie

ACLU To Defend Nazis Again

Free Speech In Cincinnati


Stop on it at Stop the ACLU for more on this.

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