WE LOVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH!

(ours, not yours)

Scoper

America's Founding Fathers thought enough of freedom of speech and the press to put it at the very top of the Bill of Rights. Of course, they're all dead now, but what's truly frightening is that the spirit of their ideas may be fading fast as well.

A perfect example? Dr. Laura Schlessinger.

"Dr. Laura," as she's most often called, hosts a nationally-syndicated radio talk show that's heard by an estimated 20 million people a week in the U.S. Her ongoing topic is, generically, "morality," but since morality touches on almost all aspects of human behavior, specific issues range far and wide.

She does not make her living being charming. Her voice is smooth, but her words can be abrasive. A typical caller might well feel as though he or she had just been ordered into the principal's office. (Someone else came up with that analogy, but I've listened to the show and it's basically true.) If you don't meet Dr. Laura's idea of morality 100 percent, count on her to figuratively slap your hand.

A day's program might include lectures (and how Dr. Laura can lecture!) on everything from child-rearing, discipline vs. permissiveness, who's too old (or young) to be dating whom, pre-marital sex, out-of-wedlock childbirth, abortion and yes, homosexuality. That last issue has taken the good Doctor out of the frying pan and into the fire, courtesy of a group of people who angrily insist she has no right to talk about it.

Put simply, Dr. Laura does not like or support the homosexual lifestyle. At all. She says her beliefs are biblically-based, but that's not the point! In America, you don't have to quote scripture to be entitled to your opinion! At least, I used to think so. So, probably, did Dr. Laura. But now she's a target.

I don't point the finger of accusation at the "homosexual community" in general (if there is such a thing.) I personally don't care who is, and who is not, homosexual. It's none of my business. If it were, you could change "homosexual" to "communist" and have Joe McCarthy all over again.

I accuse any and all people who want me to believe they support freedom of speech -- while at the same time screaming that Dr. Laura's opinions should be banned because of "hate" -- of being rather full of hate themselves, not to mention flaming hypocrisy.

These militants don't even want you to hear an opinion that's critical their lifestyle. Their latest tactic is to put pressure on Paramount Television Group not to carry a Dr. Laura TV show in the fall. There are also one or more sites on the web which basically cast her in the same category as those who've tortured and murdered human beings simply because they were gay. That's not what Dr. Laura's about and they know it. It makes you wonder: what are they afraid of?

Look, freedom of speech can be a frustrating thing, but it HAS to apply to people whose opinions you disagree with, or it MEANS NOTHING. That includes the American Nazi Party, Larry Flynt, Jesse Ventura, the NAACP, the National Rifle Association, and yes, even Act Up and Queer Nation. Even people who write cheesy little essays like this one, to try to warn you that those who are vilifying Dr. Laura today would just as soon come after YOU the moment you say something they disagree with. If they can't make their point logically, they will resort to twisting the English language to make you appear evil, as long as others don't look too closely.

And others apparently AREN'T looking too closely, because true enemies of free speech are not that hard to spot. No, it's not just liberals, or conservatives, or the ones currently tweaking Dr. Laura's nose. Look for those who continually shout: "I'm a victim! I'm a victim!" They may not use those exact words, but their aim is to restrict your freedom of speech so that theirs can be absolute. Never mind that there's no such thing as absolute freedom, that at best, freedom is a tenuous balance which the First Amendment was meant to protect as best it can. "You don't get to have as much freedom as we do, because hey, you're wrong!"

A few years ago, I started mentioning in casual conversation that the day is coming when it will be illegal, yes, ILLEGAL, to HURT SOMEONE'S FEELINGS! People thought I was just being silly, but look at today's "sensitivity training." Freedom's enemies must be loving this.

Here's a new mantra for them: "We not only get to cleanse the world of those who are "politically incorrect," we get to decide who the politically incorrect are!"

Dr. Laura Schlessinger's opinions don't need defending; she can take care of herself. But if her philosophical adversaries succeed in silencing her, then ALL of our thoughts are threatened. Including the thoughts you're having right now.