Watch what you post!
A case could be made that canceling Jimmy Kimmel was a network TV business decision. By taunting conservatives night after night, “Jimmy Kimmel was canceling himself,” columnist Kimberley Strassel observes, “until [Trump’s FCC chairman] crashed into the scene.”
Thus emboldened, newly triggered Republicans are forming ad hoc ministries of truth. Like Radio squawker Vicki McKenna. She demands that the next governor fire any state worker who speaks ill of Charlie Kirk.
There’s irony for you, because Charlie himself was a near-absolute champion of free speech. Mizz Vicki should know better after surviving many attempts by Madison progressives to silence her politically incorrect voice. Today, with Trump’s bombast billowing her sails, your free speech depends on her politics.
WI Republican candidate Bill Berrien arouses her inner censor by vowing that he would not succumb to right-wing cancel culture. ”I’m a big believer in the First Amendment,” he said. Fightin’ words to Mizz Vicki, who hurls the fatal “RINO” epithet at the candidate. The WIBA-AM 1310 talker counters that governors would be justified in firing a state employee who posted racist memes on social media. Or denying the Holocaust. Same with Charlie bashing!
Didn’t Joe McCarthy try this?
Let’s come up for air. Some 98,000 workers draw a paycheck from the State of Wisconsin. Most of them (we do not mean to offend — it just comes naturally) are anonymous drones. You really don’t know the name — or care about the politics — of the guy who stamped your driver’s license, processed your tax return, or emptied the privy at the camp site.
A state employee can be terminated for misconduct or performance issues — not for wrong opinions. Different story with a governor’s appointees: his secretaries of workforce development, transportation, natural resources, etc. Their jobs are political, not functionary. University professors should also be accountable.
Trump suggested [09-18-25] that his administration could revoke the licenses of broadcast television networks that are “against” him. “They give me only bad publicity, press. I mean, they’re getting a license,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. “I would think maybe their license should be taken away.”
Another Wisconsin on-air opinion monger, Dan O’Donnell, cites an FCC rule allowing it to act against broadcasters who air statements the broadcaster knows are false and that will cause substantial public harm if aired. If the FCC banned every false statement we’d be watching TV test patterns.
What “public harm”? Jimmy Kimmel did not cry “Fire” in a crowded theater. Made no call to arms. Doxxed no one. Lies about crooked Dominion voting machines and “Stolen Elections” were resolved by civil litigation, not government intervention.
Mr. Kimmel’s comments Monday associating Charlie Kirk’s killer with the “MAGA gang” were false, callous and stupid. But they weren’t inciting violence, and in a free society they shouldn’t be cause for the government to push someone off the airwaves. … As victims of cancel culture for so long, conservatives more than anyone should oppose it. They will surely be the targets again when the left returns to power. — Wall Street Journal
Some conservatives get it. “Hate speech — as even a concept — is a tool of leftists and tyrants, certainly not conservatives.” — Rep. Chip Roy, R-TX.
→ Ted Cruz warns FCC against ‘mob tactics’
Blaska’s Bottom Line: We remember when Republicans opposed Big Gummint. Resisted DEI loyalty oaths. Objected when Roseanne Barr was canceled. Lamented the UW for disappearing award-winning alumnus Fredric March. We fought speech police then. When we were conservatives.
27 responses to “New breed of speech police are braying”
An employer has the right to terminate an employee. ABC is in the business of entertaining the masses. Their employee was alienating over half of their audience and therefore terminated him in their best business interest. I see no free speech issue with it.
How about responding to today’s blog. Vicki McKenna wants the governor to fire every state employee who speaks ill of Charlie Kirk. You on board with that?
So, it begins. 49er Kittle is online defending himself against Kirk remarks that he never said. Now anyone with a grudge can post lies and upset someone’s life and career. Big Brother has been created, and it is impossible to stop it.
Dear Richard, I knew we could agree on something. I’m a University of Iowa alum, and there is no more staunch ex- Iowa Hawkeye foot baller than George Kittle. Thanks for speaking up against the injustice done unto Kittle. And Go Hawks! This year, Bucky may struggle even against this year’s middle of the pack Hawks.
David to answer your question: no I do not condone Vicky McKenna’s request to have people fired for what they say. I am a firm believer in free speech. That said I am also in favor of employers exercising their independence for decision making how they run their business.
Then you agree with me, after all! Big of you to admit.
Got to love Vickie blowing up the Gop candidate Berrien. Thanks sweetie. You do have the right to free speech even it hurts your own party.
A MAGA true believer recently complained to me about the “sick” people who are praying for the death of Donald Trump. “Those people ought to be arrested!” After a couple of seconds, I said “I don’t think that would look so good. You know, arresting people for praying?”
The worst thing to come out of all this is the MAGA crowd now talking about “hate speech.” There is no such animal. The right to free speech IS the right to offend. I can offend you with my words till the cows come home. Perfectly fine. Not illegal, not to be censored. I saw a liberal commentator declare that “You have right to free speech, you don’t have a right to hate speech.” Oh, but I do. You are precisely wrong. I have a right to say the most hateful things you ever heard and then accept the consequences of doing so. Speech may be free of restrictions and censorship, but it is not free of consequences. It can cost you your reputation and the respect of others. Sometimes it could cost you your job. You can say it out loud, but then you let the chips fall where they may. Try lecturing the customers at work about your politics and then see what your boss thinks about it. If he complains, tell him it’s your RIGHT!
The concept of hate speech was invented by liberals attempting to prevent ‘marginalized groups’ (i.e., anyone but straight white males) from having to hear anything that might offend their sensibilities ever, under any circumstances. A preposterous concept–second in preposterousness only to the concept of hate crimes.
Agreed. It doesn’t make a rat’s ass what was going on in your head while you are committing a heinous crime. It shouldn’t matter where you stand on trans rights or any other position when you assault, threaten, or intimidate somebody
Right! Every crime is hateful.
nonsense; go to any white nationalist meeting or KKK rally. No peace and love speeches there. Kirk’s shooting was a tragic thing to see. But was he a saint? NO. I’ve been to funerals to pay my respects. Then walked outside to hear people comment on what a dick the person was in life. You all talk like the Pope should make him s saint. Two weeks from now you will hear. Charley who?
Dick, you should try reading for comprehension. It will make your insufferable posts a little more sufferable.
Exactly, Padraig! Why flag burning cannot be banned — free speech, with the added benefit the flag burner is advertising to the world what a limp-dicked, sorry, brainless poor excuse of a human being he is.
I wonder how many of the liberal/prog types who are today bleating about their love of free speech were cheering wildly a few years ago when the ABC network fired the star of one of its highest-rated shows that also bore that star’s name. I speak, of course, of Roseanne Barr, who was sacked with warp speed for tweeting something nasty (or hateful, depending on your politics) about one of Obama’s minions.
Gina Carano fired for less.
And the biggest of all was Twitter censoring NY Post and Donald Trump at the direction of the FBI. When this was revealed after Elon Musk bought twitter the liberals all thanked Musk profusely.
Hang on, being told they demonized him and defected to Bluesky. My bad.
Let us all remember Biden’s Fourth Reich speech – that was a fun one! Thank you progressives, can I have another?
And Bondi has got the liberals drafting “hate speech” laws – who knew?
oh hells bells Blaska, Kimmel has been free-speechifying Trump and MAGA supporters nightly for over a decade resulting in a basement-rated show.
Miss Vicki makes one emotional outburst and it’s all hands on deck emergency!
I’m interested to learn about those hate speech laws the libs are drafting!
The FCC chairman’s threat, do you dismiss that as “one emotional outburst,” too? Are you suggesting that Mizz Vicki is alone in demanding retribution for unpopular speech? Sen. Cruz and Rep. Roy, are they over-reacting?
Remember DON”T TREAD ON ME.
From the esteemed John Nolte at Breitbart, who shows that if Trump/FCC nudged ABC along, they’ve sure been patient about it:
The left and the fake media are blaming the FCC when the Trump administration has allowed ABC/Disney to brazenly violate the “public interest” clause in the broadcast agreement for five years—four years in Trump’s first term and nearly a year into Trump’s second term. For two unanswered hours a day (including the View) ABC slags Trump and his supporters.
Arrogant Jimmy Kimmel got himself suspended for one reason—he refused to do the decent and honorable thing.
The affiliates, thankfully, have done the decent and honorable thing, and until Jimmy Kimmel agrees to retract his lie and tell the truth, I hope they stand by their decision. I don’t care if Kimmel apologizes. But an on-air retraction and correction serve the “public interest.”
What say you, if Miss Vicki apologizes tomorrow?
Nobody at Breitbart has been “esteemed” since Adrew Breitbart died years ago. I wish he had lived long enough to defend his name and reputation against people like Steve Bannon.
Miss Vickie’s show is irrelevant, golden age of talk radio died after Rush Limbaugh died. Podcasts are here to stay. The premise of your latest entry is correct, she is wrong, if they were posted or spewed during off hours. If they were spewed during work shift and they are considered creating a hostile workplace for other employees then it is up to human resources to decide if that person should be fired or disciplined.
David, I never disagreed with you in the first place. Not sure I understand your glibness. Kimmel is not a free speech issue; it’s a market place issue. The cancel culture, deplatforming, banning opinions, etc the left has perpetrated is one of many reasons I will never vote Democrat.
Except that Vicki McKenna and Dan O’Donnell here in the Madison media market up to Trump and his FCC commissioner are threatening to de-platform anyone who does not show the proper deference. Why do you think Rep. Chip Roy and Sen. Ted Cruz are concerned?
From X, an interesting historical accounting on the role of the FCC:
“I programmed radio stations for 10 years. We knew that our license to broadcast was contingent on “serving the public interest.” We had to have at least an hour of “public service” broadcasting every week (typically 3AM on Sunday when no one actually listened). We knew that if we sold advertising to one political candidate, party, or PAC, we had to make the same amount of advertising in the same dayparts at the same ad rates to the other side. If our news coverage was perceived as supporting one side of a political issue, we risked losing our license. This was the standard that every broadcaster that used public airwaves for radio or television broadcasting understood and observed. Those standards are still on the books, but the FCC stopped enforcing those standards twenty years ago because the media and the federal bureaucracy were both left leaning. Failing to enforce those standards, plus the proliferation of private sources that have no regulatory standards like cable and internet shows, has led us to where we are today.” PhilipMooremba