A perfect example is the abortion debate. I consider myself a Conservative, right wing Republican, who is moderate in my views which means I must automatically be pro-life and not pro-choice. I consider my self to be both. I believe a woman has a right to choose whether she wants to have an abortion or not, but I think it is wrong to take a life. I think she should be free to choose, it doesn't mean that I agree with having an abortion. I would not want my partner to choose an abortion because I feel it is wrong, but then, I don't have to right to enforce my beliefs on others, just as they don't have the right to force their beliefs on me. I can try to persuade others to see my point of view, as I try to do here, but I don't get pissed off if they don't. We, as Americans should all stand up for what we believe in.
We, as Americans also have the right to listen and read and watch what we want. If we don't like listening to rap music, we can change the station to blues. If we don't like country we can change the station to blues, if we don't like hip-hop, we can listen to blues. If we...you get it. My point is we don't have to listen (read, watch) something we object to or don't agree with. If you don't like to listen to Rush Limbaugh, then don't listen to him. If you don't like listening to Ed Schultz, then don;'t listen to him. We don't need to revise the "Fairness Doctrine" as is being proposed by the Obama administration.
In a free enterprise system, which is what we still have here in the United States of America, the thing which determines whether something is successful or not is whether or not someone "buys" it. You can't force someone to buy something they don't like. Liberals want to bring back the fairness doctrine because they want both sides to have equal air-time. They believe there should be more Liberal talk shows so people have a choice. They don't seem to realize that anyone can put on a liberal talk show without the Government forcing them to. The reason they don't is because they tend to not be successful. They, for whatever reason don't get the listeners that Conservative talk radio does. The market decides what is successful or not. People are not forced to listen to the likes of Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh or Andrew Wilkow, they listen because they want to, because they like what they have to say, whether they agree or not with their views.
That is how it should be in a free country.
That's all for now.
I sorta think that we do need a fairness doctrine because things are titled in favour of big corportations now. They have their own networks (more or less) and now they can contribute directly to politcal campaigns.
ReplyDeleteThat is part of the problem of debate... people really don't want to construct a solution as much as they want to be right. This morning on my walk/run, I was thinking how divisive things are.... but other than the clinton and reagan years, their has always been the kind of back and forth between the opposing sides.
In fact, I am waiting for the public to learn how messed up the war effort is and start leaning on the gov't about that... it would be nice, but I don't worry as much about the national cat fights as much as I worry about talking with the proverbial man on the street and maybe changing his or his changing my opinion.
Sorta like reading your journal. I consider myself a liberal who believes in a strong national defence... who'd a-thunk? I learn from you and hopefully you pick up a few things from me as well!