"Response To A Reader About Entertainers With Opinions"
In response to my article on blacklisting entertainers
for expressing opinions that don’t follow the party line,
I got two interesting emails from readers.
One asked me how I would like the President publicly criticizing me,
and isn’t it bad taste for entertainers to criticize the government.
Here’s my answer:
“A person doesn't give up his civil rights
when becoming an entertainer.
If I were president I would expect criticism.
There's a big difference between
criticizing a president and picking on a private person.
The analogy of how I would like the President picking on me
does not work.
He's HUGE, and I'm the little guy.
The President has the whole world as his forum.
Much more than any entertainer.
Criticizing the government is an American right, tradition,
and family pastime.
It helps to keep them a little honest.
Everybody in Iraq is afraid to criticize Hussein.
Everybody in Germany was afraid to criticize Hitler.
That shouldn't be the case here.
Freedom of speech is freedom of speech.
Nothing less should be tolerated in America.”
(By the way, I have not written anything against the President.
I’m just sticking up for Freedom of Speech.
I also stick up for the Right to Bear Arms,
even though I don't have a gun.)
The other response I got gave me a good laugh.
Jim said :
“Are you sure you’re allowed to say this?”
Copyright © 2003 Jack Blanchard. All rights reserved.
