The rightwing is all about censorship, and sadly, putting out deliberate lies and smears, not opinions. People like Ann Coulter, Michael Savage, Sean Hannity, the Smearvets, these people knowingly lie and smear good honest people for extremist partisan reasons, and that is also how they make money. They are abusing their right of free speech and they know it. There is no parallel to this on the left of any major consequence.
Smear campaigns should be illegal, at least in terms of advertising on TV. They are a loop-hole in our system which the rightwing, led by the lawless Rove has taken full advantage of. They seem to believe it's just fine to set up a surrogate phony group, pretend to have nothing to do with them, then instruct them and finance them to spout total fabrications, libel and disgusting insults. Fox News also lets way too many of these professional liars on TV and treats them as if they are legit.
On the flipside is rightwing censorship of honest opinions and facts. Just try to call in to Sean Hannity and get out a full sentence on air if you have a progressive opinion or if you want to criticize the far right. It's next to impossible. He will shout over you or cut you off. It's also next to impossible to ask Bush or Cheney a dissenting queastion at any of their campaign forums. Everyone is screened and pre-censored. This is un-American. All of it. It should stop.
By the way, notice every single rightwing thread on SI is censored, righties only allowed to express views. Or very few who are not righties. |
