Dr. Laura will soon be off the air!
Whether Schlessinger or the network that owns a portion of her show made the decision, the contract for the long-time radio talk show host will not be renewed when it expires later this year. After backlash from her on-air rant about the use of the n-word, (during which she used the word several times) Schlessinger says she's going to leave the show in order to "regain" her first amendment rights. Now, Sarah Palin has injected herself into the drama, tweeting that Schlessinger should "reload" rather than retreat.
The truth, however, is that Schelssinger never lost her right to free speech. As a private citizen she can certainly say what she wants as long as it remains within the boundaries protected by the first amendment. As a professional working in part for a corporation, however, her speech is -- and should be -- restricted.
Media-types that sell advertising, like Premier Radio Networks (a subsidiary of Clear Channel) don't cotton to boycotts on the soap they are trying to sell.
I'm suspicious of anyone that tells me they want to "feel free" to use their first amendment rights. What that tells me is they want to be less polite in our society; they want to openly express frustrations about those who are different, or vent about populations with whom they harbor some anger. People complain about political correctness as being a problem, as if it stifles the ability to really say what one wants to say. It doesn't. It simply stifles the ability to spew hateful comments based on stereotype and cliche.
The world will be better off with a little less Dr. Laura.
3 comments:
Yeah, screw that sanctimonious self-help harpy. The whole Free Speech thing she tossed out there is bullshit.
When it comes to nuts and bolts of who and what she is, Dr. Laura is an entertainer. When you annoy and do harm to your audience, nobody wants to listen. She kidney punched her credibility with the rant (and really, as it has been pointed out by some, the n-word was only part of the problem. The other stuff she said was also pretty inflammatory),so she's stepping back.
But she's not gone for good.
She's one book away from a re-launch.
Na na hey hey, goodbye.
I'm suspicious of anyone in media that goes only by a "Dr." in front of his or her first name.
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