Fundies: The 'Unfairness' Doctrine an "open invitation for political abuse"

[marmar]

:rofl: :nopity:



from the American Family Assn's OneNewsNow:



'Unfairness' Doctrine - back by popular demand?
Chad Groening - OneNewsNow - 12/6/2008 4:00:00 AM


A non-profit think tank says bringing back the misnamed Fairness Doctrine would be an "open invitation for political abuse."

The Independent Women's Forum (IWF) has joined a chorus of other concerned organizations in trying to warn the American public about the consequences if the Democratic-controlled Congress is able to reinstate the so-called "Fairness Doctrine." Allison Kasic, a spokeswoman for the IWF, believes the Fairness Doctrine is clearly misnamed.

"The 'Unfairness Doctrine' would be much better (because) it has a lot of potential to basically shut down and silence your critic, and it flies in the face of what this country stands for," she contends. "Among other things, it's basically an open invitation for political abuse, using this rhetoric of fairness to silence your critics."

Kasic points out that what makes proposals to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine particularly unfair is that it targets a specific medium, namely radio. "The fact that this regulation would go after, specifically, radio shows just how politically motivated it is because, in essence, they're going after conservatives by the sheer fact that conservatives have dominated talk radio over the past couple decades," she adds.

While liberals, according to Kasic, present themselves as victims of conservative talk radio, she notes it is their domination of the mainstream media that most encouraged the rise of talk radio, and the conservative right had little choice but to create a new forum for communication.


http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=342568 (if OneNewsNow Rick-rolls the link from DU, the story's in the OneNewsNow area of www.afa.net )

[EconomicLiberal]

1. More right wing talking points from these clowns.

The Fairness Doctrine does not surpress free speech.

[Triana]

2. They live in THIS galaxy? They appear to live in a different one n/t

[Atman]

3. Are all these commentators CHILDREN? Doesn't anyone remember pre-Reagan?

These accusations and assumptions are simply absurd. We had a Fairness Doctrine for years. In didn't stifle anything. In fact, it was back in the days of the Fairness Doctrine that you could actually hear reasoned, FAIR opinion and news. Not "Fair and Balanced.(TM)" I mean, actually FAIR. No station could hours of free, unquestioned airtime to a particular candidate without offering his opponent equal time to rebut.

The reason why the Fundies hate this is because Fox News and Rush Limbaugh are ALL ABOUT being as UNfair as possible. They don't want fair. They want to be able to lie and abuse and yell and scream and make shit up, all without being challenged.

These people aren't actually afraid of being CENSORED. They're afraid of reasonable, intelligent people actually being allowed to be heard. Nothing ruins the right-wings' chances for attaining office quite like an actual, fair debate. And they know it.

.

[Fovea]

8. I keep looking for that massive librul vid media

Olbermann, Maddow... Matthews...

chirp, chirp, chirp...


Versus orely, scarborough, hannity, beck, van sustern, and on and on into the distance.
when do we decide to stomp on the pugs for all this massive transference their malfeasance onto others?

[janedum]

4. Pls sign my Petition to get Limbaugh & Hannity OFF the AIR

Just click "VOTE" on the left hand side.
I need at least 600 (SIX HUNDRED) votes for my idea to be presented to President Obama.
THANK YOU!
(Pls ask your friends to vote too!)

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/abolish_all_right-wing...

[zorahopkins]

6. *hich One Is Yours?

*hen I go to the site you link to, I see several different things to vote on.

*hich one of them is yours? *hat does it say?

Note: In protest of the continuing occupation of OUR *hite House by the illegal and totally corrupt Bush/Cheney regime of thugs and cronies, I REFUSE ot use the letter bet*een "V" and "X", and I urge you to do the same.

[janedum]

11. Here's how you vote

Go to www.change.org
Click "ideas" on the right hand side
Go to the search box and type:
hate radio
Then click vote on the left.
You're voting to "Abolish Right-Wing Hate Radio"
THANK YOU!!
:>)

[The_Commonist]

5. They are what my friends and I call...

...the Upside-Down People.

Everything they think and believe is upside-down to reality.

[sftwrngnr]

7. I disagree

I don't believe that the fairness doctrine promotes abuse. After all, by definition, it would mean that a "right wing" perspective would need to be played on the "left wing" talk shows as well. I think it would make for a more interesting perspective on what is actually happening.

My specific issue here, is this: The fairness doctrine does NOT shut down anyone. What it does, is to simply require equal time for opposing viewpoints. How does that "shut down" anyone? I'll be honest, after hearing Randi Rhodes whine and grouse for the better part of 8 years about how the election machines were hacked and the election was stolen, it may actually be refreshing to hear an opposing point of view. I know, I'm sure I'm gonna get blasted for that comment. However, in the same vein it would be nice to hear an opposing view point on the great windbag's show.

[Fovea]

9. no problem here.

While Randi does a valuable service in the current environment, her approach is a counterweight to an existing bad paradigm.

When the paradigm shifts back, I am certain that you will see Randi change format.

The problem comes from a death of collegiality.
The fairness doctrine would, IMO, go a long way to getting us pointed back in that direction.

[sftwrngnr]

13. And for the record...

I like Randi :). I was only too thankful when Obama won, if for no other reason to stop the voting machine conspiracy theory. Also for the record, YES, I agree with her that there is certainly the possibility for voting machine impropriety... the drumbeat of that gets a little old after 8 years (LOL).

I would LOVE to see a format where one of the two right wing windbags would have to include, as part of their format, a real-time opposition (Randi, perhaps Al Franken if he doesn't make the senate)... I mean think about it... Limbaugh blithers on about how progressives can't compete on the arena of ideas... Thats utter and complete CRAP. I say bring it! Have a verbal cage match format and lets see if either of the tubs of goo (alright... I better be careful... I need to lose weight too ) can actually carry on an their blithering, non-factually based diatribes when there is someone... right THERE to contrast what they are saying.

[DainBramaged]

10. After how many years of dominating the airwaves they want to hold on

a little bit more? They KNOW if the Fairness Doctrine is brought back, their grip on the media is over. And so it should be.

[janedum]

12. Would YOU be kind enough to vote

Limbaugh and Hannity OFF the air.
go to www.change.org
click ideas on right hand side
in the search box type: hate radio
click VOTE.
thanks.

[DainBramaged]

15. I would NOT vote them off the air, just like I would not want the Fundies to vote

Rachel Maddow off the air. Why should we try to stifle their speech?

[Richard Steele]

14. Typical bully logic. "It all started when he yanked my foot off his neck and hit me back".

Fuck those miserable little shitheads.

Fuck them in the heart.

Sideways.