Friday, December 27, 2013

Duck, duck, lose

A&E's "indefinite hiatus" of Phil Robertson lasted nine days.
Ace wasn't impressed by the networks' statement.
Our current social understanding of free speech is this: You can speak your mind freely if you have a large enough army of supporters to pressure a company into resisting pressure from a large army of Speech Police.
This is not free speech. This is free speech as an exceptional thing -- only for those with a wide, passionate following -- not as a routine thing.
A&E is a cowardly organization. First it puts Robertson on "indefinite hiatus" under pressure from one group of people, then it puts him back on the air because they've been pressured by a somewhat larger group of people.

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