Editorial
See other Editorial ArticlesTitle: First Amendment Gone Wild
Source:
Richmond.com
URL Source: http://www2.richmond.com/content/20 ... /30/first-amendment-gone-wild/
Published: Oct 30, 2009
Author: Kent Jennings Brockwell
Post Date: 2009-10-02 20:50:54 by Dakmar
Keywords: None
Views: 166
Comments: 3
It really is unfortunate that Barack Obama is black.
[Hold the death threats until after I explain, please.]
Due to his ethnicity, it is now impossible for anyone—white, black, or other—to openly criticize him without immediately being called a racist. Or extremist. Or neo-conservative.
Or simply an American dissenter.
I wish I could say that I have been lambasted by the public outrage caused by Samuel J.T. Moore’s poster depicting our president as the menacing Joker. I’d love to say I have been amazed that the NAACP and other offended parties are calling for the city to take action against Moore.
But I’m not. This illogical, ignorant, undereducated, overemotional backlash is exactly what I expected when I first saw the poster.
This reaction is so typical of a citizenry. Especially ours.
Moore isn’t the only Obama critic who has taken it in the ear. Just ask Glenn Beck what happens when you speak out against Obama’s policies. Or Rush Limbaugh. Or Anthony Cumia from the Opie and Anthony Show on “uncensored” satellite radio.
They’ve heard it all. And felt it. Sponsors have pulled their ads. Customers have boycotted businesses and organized protests. Listeners have called in by the thousands and verbally assaulted call screeners and radio hosts.
None of the offended, however, have taken their mothers’ advice and counted to 10 before immediately and emotionally tossing out the all-too-popular “race card.”
If these horribly offended citizens stopped and truly listened to themselves, they would quickly realize that their hate-speech arguments are completely illogical, ignorant, undereducated and overemotional.
Why can’t Obamanites and people in general argue their point logically and intelligently? Is the general populace really as ignorant as it sounds?
As an example, let’s break down the illogic behind this week’s Obama-Joker hullabaloo with the simple and undeniable facts:
1. Samuel Moore put a large poster on his building depicting President Obama as the Joker with the word “Socialism” underneath the image. Moore openly states he put up the poster because he’s upset with the administration’s handling of the financial crisis. 2. King Salim Khalfani, head of the local NAACP chapter infers that the poster is “racist” by saying that Moore is “comfortable disrespecting the president ... because the president has African blood."
Someone tell me how calling someone a “socialist” is a “racist” act? How is that logical? How does that make sense?
Why can’t we as a populace legitimately argue the president’s politics without a pro-Obamanite pulling the race card?
Would any of Khalfani’s race talk have happened if Obama was white? Undoubtedly, no.
I’ll admit that I have never met Khalfani but I am sure he is a decent, educated man and I respect his right to free speech. I even respect his opinion no matter how much I disagree with it.
But I’ll never have a beer with him at my backyard picnic table.
It’s not because I’m white and he’s black. As humans, we are equals and I have absolutely no problem with the color of his skin.
He’s never coming to my house because I absolutely, undeniably detest illogical, overemotional, party line loyalist lemmings.
Does that mean that I am a racist? No, it means I am intolerant. It means I am a curmudgeon. It means I am a prick.
Don’t worry—Sarah Palin won’t be invited for a beer at my picnic table either. Neither will Nancy Pelosi. Or Ted Kennedy’s rotting corpse. Or John McCain. Or Glenn Beck. Or Rush Limbaugh.
Nonetheless, it’s been a big week for the oft neglected first amendment and I would like to thank Moore for reminding us that Americans have an amazing right to speak freely without the government locking us up and (cliché warning) throwing away the key.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t protect us from our neighbors.
Our ignorant, undereducated, overemotional neighbors.
Kent Jennings Brockwell is a freelancer for Richmond.com and his opinions don't reflect that of Richmond.com's. Read the opposing viewpoint here. Brockwell is a gun-toting ex-journalist and founder of Altar Boy Marketing in Midlothian, Va. Hate mail can be sent to altarboymarketing@gmail.com.
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