Speak, by R. Baxter © All Rights Reserved
“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
— from the Friends of Voltaire
When Laura Schlessinger quit her job this week, she made claims about violations of free speech and her first amendment rights. This is absurd. Her show is on commercial radio network. The First Amendment applies to the government infringing on free speech; a commercial network needs to think about the listeners or viewers, as well as the advertisers. Laura Schlessinger is free to use the “N-word” as much as she wants in the privacy of her own home, and speeches for organizations that share her views, or just out on the street if she’s prepared to deal with the consequences.