The Irony of Letterman's Riff

Vanity

[yetidog]

One thing I have not heard noted is that both Palin sisters have a brother in Iraq who (ironically), serves as an American soldier defending the right of David Letterman to say any disparaging thing he wants to say about the Palin family on the public airways. Mr. Letterman and the other media Palin-haters might want to think about that before releasing their next broadside

[IrishPennant]

Lefterman is an idiot but look at the positive press that our future Prez Palin is getting.

[Alberta's Child]

Interesting perspective, but you’d be hard-pressed to come up with any evidence that U.S. military personnel in Iraq are “defending” anyone’s rights — especially the rights of mediocrities to blather on late-night television — here in the U.S.

[ansel12]

Good point, if this was a liberal being insulted this would be of major importance to the media.

[Always Right]

One thing I have not heard noted is that both Palin sisters have a brother in Iraq who (ironically), serves as an American soldier defending the right of David Letterman to say any disparaging thing he wants to say about the Palin family on the public airways.

The left loathes police, CIA, FBI, and the military. The left live in some fantasy world in which they think their rights don't need to be defended, just be nice to everyone and they will be nice back.

[DogBarkTree]

I wonder how much time I would have to do I saw Letterman on the street and punched out his front teeth.

[DTogo]

but you’d be hard-pressed to come up with any evidence that U.S. military personnel in Iraq are “defending” anyone’s rights

Perhaps no evidence, but it's certainly a popular slogan.

[colorado tanker]

At one time a boorish jerk who insulted young women would have something to fear from her male relatives. In those days he'd be too ashamed to complain to police and if he did no law enforcement or jury would take him seriously.

But, all that's changed.

[Alberta's Child]

That’s exactly what it is . . . a “slogan.”

[yetidog]

"I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution (and I presume the 1st Amendment of same) of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

[Nosterrex]

Does the freedom of speech require the audience to support whatever the speaker says? Does the freedom of speech require that anyone has to listen to what is being said? Are there boundaries to free speech, or is all speech given equal protection?

Letterman has the freedom to say offensive things on his show and to tell as many lies as he wants. That does not mean that I have to support him. I have the right not to buy products from his sponsors and to not have to listen to him.

Frankly, I do not watch his show, nor do I find him funny. If others want to watch him and support him, that is their right. Free speech does not cancel out all the other rights.

[oyez]

The critics think that the brother Palin, serving in the Army is either a chump or serving for political purposes.

The critics' objective is to drive Sarah Palin out of politics. They have a mistaken idea that their tactics are intimidating her and sooner of later she will cave in.

[DTogo]

That being said, soldiers do take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution, and Letterman does have a right to make his crude jokes (just as much as we have the right to dump on him for it).

When speaking to my good friend about anti-war protestors after his return from Iraq in '04, he didn't agree with them but simply said they have a right to say it.

[yetidog]

I was responding to Alberta’s Child’s comment regarding the doubt expressed that there is a connection between military service in Iraq and the defense of American Consitutional free expression (which by the way, is not without limits; incitement, slander etc. are not protected). The military oath of office that I repeated is, to me, evidence of that connection.

[oyez]

At some point the Left has to start being nice to people. Does a leopard changes his spots? Dispicable people don't change overnight.

[Boonie]

The left live in some fantasy world in which they think their rights don’t need to be defended, just be nice to everyone and they will be nice back.

You mean be nice to everyone that is liberal or from another country...

[Busywhiskers]

The fact that Letterman has a 1st amendment right to speech doesn’t mean that he should be immune from criticism for his moronic blathering when it crosses the line of common decency.

As we learned from the case of Imus, stupidity often has personal consequences.

[SAJ]

Better idea. Just pop him in the chops with a nice, fresh-baked cream pie. The worst charge that could possibly stick would be ‘misdemeanor battery’ or, in some jurisdictions ‘3rd-degree battery’. Typically $100 fine (depends on jurisdiction), and Letterman would cost himself way more than that (and look like the petty jackass he is) if he filed a complaint.

[lilylangtree]

Good point. This is something mainstream media wants to hide just like hiding the fact that Von Brunn is a demoncRAT white supremacist.

[daylilly]

I’m glad you added this to the discussion, it is something that needed to be said.