I don't see how kicking Limbaugh off of AFR is a free speech issue.

[Smith_3]

AFR is owned by the government, right? Can't they therefore have on there whoever they want? No one is saying Limbaugh isn't free to buy his own station with his private money and spewing his venom there all he wants.

[FreakinDJ]

1. Bush's reign of terror proves we need media regulation

that is if we want this country to be a Democracy

[Bucky]

2. It's not a free speech issue, but it is a delicate political move

Doing so hamfistedly would rile up the Right & give them a faux martyr; give the impression that Democrats are simply the opposite of Republicans. It would be smart to wait until Limbaugh makes one of his periodic stupid eruptions.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. Speak for yourself. 99% my ass.

[Lint Head]

4. The KKK and White Supremacists do not have a multi station

syndication deal and can potentially be heard by everyone in the nation including the troops overseas.
This is absolute hate speech and should not be condoned by the national media. Joseph Goebbels would love this.
:dem:

[madrchsod]

5. they need to sign big ed to counter limpballs

big ed can talk hunting and fishing,small town values,and working class heroes. you know--real america where people give other`s a chance to prove themselves. real america where people can make up their own minds when they have all the facts in front of them.

big ed would kick limpballs big fat ass

[fasttense]

6. Do they have any liberal shows that can offset Junkie Rush?

If they had liberal shows that were broadcast as often, then it's not Republicon propaganda. If there are no liberal shows on AFRT then Junkie Rush is merely Republicon propaganda distributed to our troops by our tax dollars.

[Ganja Ninja]

7. Its not.

If it was then everybody would be entitled to a show on AFR.

[Beer Snob-50]

8. kicking off limbaugh is a free speech issue-

we want him off because we hate what he says. now if it is determined that no one listens to pigboys show, then get it off the air.

[Smith_3]

9. Regardless. A boss can fire an employee for being too vocal about their opinions.

Especially if they are using company resources to spread their opinions. Freedom of speech means that he has the right to voice his opinion without being prosecuted. Not that the employer has to provide him with the means to do so.

[Beer Snob-50]

10. yes, you are correct

but the situations are not the same. pigboy spews his loathsome shit on the radio. if very few listen to him then he should be gone, if he has a big audience then he should stay.

[KharmaTrain]

12. It's Not About Speech...It's About Business...

Yes, AFN is owned by the government, but it's run like a commercial broadcast operation. It was set up during WWII to bring a taste of home to soldiers...and over the years has followed the commercial radio industry. When rock music became popular, AFRTS (in those days) pumped out the hits...when it was Urban Cowboy, that's what dominated the network. In the past 15 years, the biggest "product" has been either sports talk or hate radio...little else. The justification for AFN to carry Rushbo is that he's heard by so many people...and on so many stations. I honestly don't think it's ideological as much as it's taking what's being offered. Face it, AM radio here has been a septic tank for a long time...and as they say GIGO...Garbage In, Garbage Out.

In essence, all stations are owned by the government. They grant licenses, but in the end, they own the airwaves in the public name.

What Rushbo says IS a free speech issue. He has the right to be as stupid, obnoxious and biggoted as he likes...you can't outlaw stupidity. He's not enciting anything...just preaching to a shrinking audience of dead-enders who aren't going to change if Rushbo is banished...plus there are dozens of other Rushbo wannabes out there. No need to ban these clowns, radio's own largess and corruption will do it for us soon.

The more you pay attention to Rushbo, the more he benefits...people will tune in to find out what shit he is going to say next. Stop publicizing his bullshit and you deny him of the publicity to reach beyond his dead-enders.

In the end, radio is being eclipsed by internet and other medium...and just like how younger people no longer tune in to hear the latest hits, the same is happening to hate radio...it wore out its novelty. If anything, time is rapidly approaching to shut down the entire AFN network.

[TheCowsCameHome]

13. Stating you want the CIC to fail isn't very bright, Rushbo.

Even some of your brain-dead drone followers can figure that out.

[MiniMe]

14. Being kicked off of AFR isn't kicking him off the air

It just means that our troops won't be listening to him. Rush works for Clear Channel. He is not constantly blasting the CIC, not that there is anything wrong with that, as long as you are blasting him for a reason and not just for blasting him. Rush inspires hate, I see no reason that Rush should be getting paid by the government to spread his brand of hate. He would still be on Clear Channel in the US.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

15. Don't worry - Limbaugh will provide cause for doing so soon.

That moron will say something so outrageous that it will give AFR the justification it needs to kick him out so as not to look politically motivated. It's only a matter of time.

[timtom]

16. I sort of addressed this in another post

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4887867&mesg_id=4893992

In the case of Father Coughlin:

He was shut down.

From Wikipedia:

"In spite of his early support for Roosevelt, Coughlin's populist message contained bitter attacks on the Roosevelt administration. The administration decided that although the First Amendment protected free speech, it did not necessarily apply to broadcasting, because the radio spectrum was a "limited national resource" and regulated as a publicly-owned commons. New regulations and restrictions were created to force Coughlin off the air. For the first time, operating permits were required of those who were regular radio broadcasters. When Coughlin's permit was denied, he was temporarily silenced."

It was temporary, as Coughlin bought air time and played recordings of him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Coughlin