January 12, 2011
If the political left weren't so dangerous they would be funny.
For years, the left has called conservatives "censors" when they tried to clean up the sex, violence and profanity on TV and the racial epithets and violence against women in some rap music. But now that the left doesn't like speech coming from conservative media, that's another matter. We aren't supposed to see them as censors.
In the aftermath of the tragedy in Tucson, there are calls for resurrecting the Fairness Doctrine and passing legislation limiting what people can say about public officials. Whatever happened to free speech?
The left has been busy smearing the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin. But there is not a shred of evidence that the accused Tucson shooter, Jared Loughner, ever listened to any conservative media. Even if he did, so what? Millions listen and don't shoot people.
What this is about is an attempt by the left to shut down opinion with which it disagrees. Since the left lost its media monopoly it has been fixated on silencing conservatives.
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.
