Recent days have seen quite a few media chime-ins on the ‘Baby Alex’ ad sponsored by MoveOn.org. The ad features a young mother bouncing a beaming baby boy on her lap and emoting in a quavering, affected voice, “John McCain, when you say you would stay in Iraq for a hundred years, were you counting on Alex? Because if you were, you can't have him.”
We’ve become accustomed to the Left’s propensity for not letting the facts get in the way of a nasty campaign ad, but one still feels disgusted at the ad’s blatant exploitation of babyhood in an attempt to manipulate voters. For the umpteenth time, McCain never said he wants to fight in Iraq for 100 years. He simply referenced our ongoing military presence in countries like South Korea and Japan and said the same would be fine in Iraq “as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed.” And, presumably, it would also be fine with McCain, and any other sensible American, if Alex grew up, enlisted in the military, and were stationed for a time in peace time Iraq.
It’s not ok with this quavering, indignant mother, though. Asserting lifelong ownership of her son, she is not going to let John McCain “have him.” Nevermind that McCain will likely die of old age before the boy turns 18, and nevermind that the boy may well grow up and decide to serve his country of his own free will. Those facts do not make for good Drama – and it is drama, after all, that so often trumps the facts in our national dialogue.
Too bad little Alex’s mother is not as committed to truth telling as she is to claiming ownership over a life that, ultimately, is not hers. Her assertion that she knows what is best for another, both now and for all time, embodies the justification for the Left’s entire political agenda. As this ad reveals, the lefties do not hesitate to try to dictate the life choices of others. Other viewpoints, and freedom of thought and choice, are not in the script...even for their own children.
Showing posts with label Moral Busybodies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moral Busybodies. Show all posts
20 June 2008
19 June 2008
Sign the Petition: Broadcaster Freedom Act
Today's CNSNews.com E-Brief sums up the latest in the Left's attempt to resurrect the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" so they can subdue or silence some or all of the voices of conservative talk radio. Apparently there is a new bill in the works - "The Broadcaster Freedom Act" - that liberals in Congress are blocking from getting to the floor for a vote. CNS has named this July 4th "Radio Independence Day" and has provided a link to their Citizen Petition to stop the Fairness Doctrine and push forward the new Freedom bill. You can sign the petition here.
The goal is to present Congressional leadership with at least 100,000 signatures demanding that the Broadcaster Freedom Act be brought to a full floor vote before the Fourth of July. So far, 194 members of Congress have signed a petition asking for a discharge of the bill from committee to The Floor, but 24 more signatures are needed.
The goal is to present Congressional leadership with at least 100,000 signatures demanding that the Broadcaster Freedom Act be brought to a full floor vote before the Fourth of July. So far, 194 members of Congress have signed a petition asking for a discharge of the bill from committee to The Floor, but 24 more signatures are needed.
11 June 2008
Where's Voltaire When We Need Him?
“I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.” -- Voltaire
Just read an interesting commentary by Brian Fitzpatrick, Senior Editor @ the Culture and Media Institute, in re: this report and all the talk about the possible resurrection of the FCC “Fairness Doctrine.” The old rule, done away with under Reagan, required radio stations that aired op-eds to give free, equal time to opposing views. The regulation was intended to benefit the public by providing diverse information on controversial issues on the airwaves. Now, thanks to the Internet, the addition of hundreds of newspapers, a plethora of new-ish radio broadcast stations, and nearly a dozen news/opinion television networks, people can access information (and varying opinions) any time they wish. As such, there is simply no need for a Fairness Doctrine.
Lefty allegations that talk radio is dominated by conservatives and subsequent claims that we need to reinstitute the Rule are pretty silly. Fitzpatrick rightly points out that of the roughly 2,200 radio stations that do talk radio, more than one third feature predominantly left-liberal programming. More to the point, a balance exists in every single major market: the talking points of the Left are on the airwaves along with conservative radio shows, and listeners can make their choice. (Anyway, only about 7% of the American public even listens to talk radio, so what is all the hype about?)
As for the major news networks, news magazines, and daily newspapers, they are already primarily dominated by the Left and/or Center – but you don’t hear Conservatives trying to insisting that these forums give us a free voice on their dime and time. Instead, conservatives and libertarians plug away as best they can in the forums that exist, or try to create new forums through private and non-profit funding, trusting the public to seek out the type of news and information it wants.
In re: to the fact that there are about twice as many conservative as liberal radio talk shows, someone ought to tell the Left about a jazzy little economic concept called Supply and Demand. Radio stations can’t survive indefinitely without listeners to support them, plain and simple. No audience means no air time, and that is as it should be. Air America Radio and others have stumbled because of an overly progressive and often caustic bent, not because anyone on the Right has impeded them vis a vis federal rules and limits. I think Fitzpatrick is quite right when he says that the Left fears the strong influence of conservative talk radio, and that their desire for raising the Fairness Doctrine from the dead is mainly motivated by a desire to “hush Rush” et al – or at least to set limits re: how many stations can broadcast how many hours of conservative talk across the nation. If so, they are allowing their personal political motives to trump general respect for freedom of speech and free markets. This is glaringly un-Democratic and ought to confound and concern the minds of intelligent, honest Democrats. Once again, by being on the wrong side of an issue like this, the Left reveals itself to be a group of hyper-controlling, moralizing busybodies who value winning over Liberty.
Just read an interesting commentary by Brian Fitzpatrick, Senior Editor @ the Culture and Media Institute, in re: this report and all the talk about the possible resurrection of the FCC “Fairness Doctrine.” The old rule, done away with under Reagan, required radio stations that aired op-eds to give free, equal time to opposing views. The regulation was intended to benefit the public by providing diverse information on controversial issues on the airwaves. Now, thanks to the Internet, the addition of hundreds of newspapers, a plethora of new-ish radio broadcast stations, and nearly a dozen news/opinion television networks, people can access information (and varying opinions) any time they wish. As such, there is simply no need for a Fairness Doctrine.
Lefty allegations that talk radio is dominated by conservatives and subsequent claims that we need to reinstitute the Rule are pretty silly. Fitzpatrick rightly points out that of the roughly 2,200 radio stations that do talk radio, more than one third feature predominantly left-liberal programming. More to the point, a balance exists in every single major market: the talking points of the Left are on the airwaves along with conservative radio shows, and listeners can make their choice. (Anyway, only about 7% of the American public even listens to talk radio, so what is all the hype about?)
As for the major news networks, news magazines, and daily newspapers, they are already primarily dominated by the Left and/or Center – but you don’t hear Conservatives trying to insisting that these forums give us a free voice on their dime and time. Instead, conservatives and libertarians plug away as best they can in the forums that exist, or try to create new forums through private and non-profit funding, trusting the public to seek out the type of news and information it wants.
In re: to the fact that there are about twice as many conservative as liberal radio talk shows, someone ought to tell the Left about a jazzy little economic concept called Supply and Demand. Radio stations can’t survive indefinitely without listeners to support them, plain and simple. No audience means no air time, and that is as it should be. Air America Radio and others have stumbled because of an overly progressive and often caustic bent, not because anyone on the Right has impeded them vis a vis federal rules and limits. I think Fitzpatrick is quite right when he says that the Left fears the strong influence of conservative talk radio, and that their desire for raising the Fairness Doctrine from the dead is mainly motivated by a desire to “hush Rush” et al – or at least to set limits re: how many stations can broadcast how many hours of conservative talk across the nation. If so, they are allowing their personal political motives to trump general respect for freedom of speech and free markets. This is glaringly un-Democratic and ought to confound and concern the minds of intelligent, honest Democrats. Once again, by being on the wrong side of an issue like this, the Left reveals itself to be a group of hyper-controlling, moralizing busybodies who value winning over Liberty.
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