by Sean Wardak

Created on: September 02, 2009

It's not the government's job to control talk radio or any other format for free speech. The Lib's may not like talk radio or the radio personalities that are on it but that should not give the left or anyone the incentive to silence them.

As for balanced speech, what are they thinking? Look at the mainstream media, look at the cable news networks (Fox excluded) and tell me that they do not lean a particular way. What I see with the 'fairness Doctrine' is the government trying to control what those who do not agree with them says.

Just because NPR has low ratings and air America crash landed, does not give our government the right to step in and say that radio station managers need to give equal amounts of time to the opposing side. If the people who listen to Rush, Hannity or Beck wanted to hear from the liberal pundits, they would listen to them and therefore increase their ratings, thus making this whole thing a moot point.

Even those on the left don't wish to hear from those at Air America, if they did that station would not have gone BK and folded. You can't blame conservative talk radio for having good ratings just because people prefer to hear them and not the other.

Imagine this: you like country music but there are some that say that there is not enough jazz or blues or hip-hop on the air. The government comes to your favorite station and tells them that they must play one song of each of those genres for every country song played. How long do you think that station would be on the air?

Answer: Not long.

This is about free speech, plain and simple. There are bunches of people who don't like to hear opposing view points and will do what ever it takes to keep them silent. You don't have to agree with them but you have to let them speak.

Those on the left will be the first to stand up and tell you all about free speech but if it is against their political belief, then they will shout you down and this is the proof that Censorship shrouds Fairness.

Most important in all of this, is who stands to gain from the governments' involvement? Marc Lloyd, Chief Diversity officer with the FCC wants to fine conservative broadcasters 250 million dollars that would then be redirected to guess who? That's right, NPR.

He calls it Localism and diversity Huh? NPR is already being funded with your tax dollars and now the government wants even more from private business, just for giving their opinion.

Where is the America of old? Why is free speech only free when one side or another agrees with it.

I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

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