CNN: Even Evil Guys Like Rush Deserve Their Free Speech Rights

Think I’m kidding about the evil part? Alas, no

(CNN) Editor’s note: Marc J. Randazza is a Las Vegas based First Amendment attorney. He is licensed to practice in Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts and Nevada. He is the editor of the law blog, The Legal Satyricon.

I despise Rush Limbaugh. I despise almost everything I have ever heard him say. I wish that he were no longer on the air. That is why I write today to defend him against those who call for him to be silenced.

Far too frequently, Americans find offense in another’s art, music or other expression, and then they call for censorship. This is intolerable. (snip)

The First Amendment requires neither tact nor politeness. It requires that we permit all views to set up stalls in the marketplace of ideas, and we let that marketplace decide which ideas prevail.

Mr. Randazza has a point, and he’s mostly referring to the piece written by 3 babes…whoops, seeeeexist, one of whom is a traitor, to get the FCC to revoke Limbaugh’s broadcast license, previously published at CNN. If you want to fight against Rush’s ideas as private citizens/groups, OK. But, hey, you can also change the channel. Or, you can debate like adults.

It is a terrifying prospect that the government might review the political and social positions of a broadcaster when deciding who gets access to the airwaves. Should the government censor books that it finds to be unpopular or offensive?

And, liberals, what comes around goes around. If you start down this road, where will it lead, and will the same happen to your folks?

I despise Limbaugh not because he uttered one or two nasty words, but because his views are truly evil. I debate those who agree with him. I place my ideas into the marketplace, and I believe that ideas like mine will win out.

See? Evil! LOL.

If you don’t stand up for Limbaugh’s liberty today, someone may come for yours tomorrow. Discredit him, but don’t silence him.

Most Conservatives think MSNBC, CNN, the NY Times, Washington Post, etc, are, by Randazza’s POV, evil, yet, we do not try to silence them: we either tune them out or debate them. I’ve searched, but, I can’t find the link, unfortunately, which showed that Conservative blogs linked the NY Times way, way, way more than Liberal blogs. Because we’re calling out the liberal media’s most important newspaper, debating their viewpoint. Don’t like Rush? Turn him off, or debate his ideas, tell us why yours are better.

Crossed at Pirate’s Cove. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach.

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