Duck its the Duckman

Duck on Duck Dynasty:  So now we have even more "ammunition" for a conservative rant.  Comments are piling up.  Fox News troops out even more young women with short skirts to blather about freedom of speech.  Millions "like" facebook rants that attack A&E for suspending a poor Christian man who simply spoke his moral mind.

First of all, even conservatives I think recognize that if any person embarrasses his place of employment with controversial comments, there can be consequences.  Many contracts include such language.  A company that deals in appeallng to a diverse population can ill afford one of  its employees making statements that alienate its base of customers (or viewers as this case demonstrates).

But, according to Sarah Palin and other conservative "lions" this is a case of free speech.  Nonsense, it is nothing of the sort.  The Duck Dynasty "star" gave an interview in a magazine, that he no doubt was compensated for, and made controversial remarks.  That is right, he no doubt was PAID for his interview.  That's the way it works for the famous, they get paid.  And, he no doubt violated his contract with A&E by making controversial comments that reflected negatively on the company.

But, oh, we all scream, his freedom of speech has been violated.  No it hasn't.

Look, we all have freedom of speech.  The ACLU defends KKK members, Nazis and little old ladies from Pasadina.  The idea is in a public forum, without constraints due to obligations to employers, schools, etc., people can say what they want, as long as it doesn't slander or threaten the public safety.   And  the Duck man did just that, predictably forgetting that he was breaking the rules of his employer.

And the predictable happened, he was reprimanded.

There is no loss of Civil Rights here.  Palin and Fox as usual are USING you, stirring up your anger, for political effect.

And of course, they attack the progressives for this whole thing.  Liberals are accused of tolerating things except for things they don't agree with.

Huh, isn't that what conservative pundits like Palin are doing right now?  They are tolerating the Duck Man, but blasting liberals, who had nothing to do with reprimanding the Duck spokesman.  How do conservatives know that liberals with A&E punished the Duck Man.  A&E has not said it, but it is a sure bet, since the Duck Man is losing income if he is suspended, because his  contract was abrogated by his interview to the magazine.

So, he has the right to stand on a street corner, and say all he wants. He also is responsible for his comments if those comments damage his employer.  His employer is punishing him not the government.  I want to punish him because his comments were whoop ass stupid.  And I can, as long as I stay within the law.

For years, during the Civil Rights struggle, we heard segregationists speak about how separate but equal was fair, how people of color were unequal, and laws were passed to buttress these racist positions.  And that is what got them, because when racism became institutional racism, it ran eventually into the Bill of Rights, and was declared unconstitutional.

Read up on Civil Rights, and the First Amendment.  Visit your local ACLU Chapter, and get materials on the legal constrants on freedom of speech (they do exist).

And, please take a few deep breaths, stop your anger, you are getting worked!!!!!!