Said in 2003, just as applicable today. Barack's already disgraced the office of the presidency by calling out, by name, citizens in his press conference. Now Media Matters has called for Lou Dobbs to be fired from CNN.
Due to Dobbs' long history of anti-immigrant statements?
No, because Dobbs had allowed people who don't believe Barack Obama was born in the United States to appear on his show. Dobbs himself has repeatedly stated that he believes Barack was born in the US but just bringing on people who disagree results in calls from Media Matters that Dobbs must be fired.
A chill wind indeed.
Free speech advocates should applaud Dobbs for increasing the number of voices. People who have felt their own beliefs and causes were repeatedly shut out by the media in the past should be happy to see the group breakthrough as well.
Instead, it's Mommy Nation time as we must all be protected from information.
We're apparently too stupid to decide for ourselves where we stand on Barack-born-in-the-US. Apparently, presented with a discussion on the issue, we will all be immediately swayed to one side because the American people are just so, in Media Matters' view, plain stupid.
In 2003, the Dixie Chicks found themselves banned for stating things that Protectors of the White House felt were 'wrong.' In 2009, similar forces go after Lou Dobbs.
It's shameful and Media Matters needs to issue an apology.
Lou Dobbs featuring guests is not a reason for him to be fired. That you disagree with the guests is not reason for him to be fired. If CNN believes even remotely in the First Amendment, they will stop distancing themselves from Dobbs and pointing to his program as an example of diversity in opinions.
None of the above means we'll watch his show. We don't like Dobbs, we have no interest in watching. But that doesn't mean we support efforts to have him fired for exercising the right of free speech.
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For more on this topic, see Trina's "Lou Dobbs doesn't need to be fired."