The chronically uninformed on the right are spittle-flecking all over their keyboards because Hank Williams, Jr., was fired from ESPN for comparing President Obama to Adolf Hitler. The usual low-informationists are calling it a violation of Williams' free speech, which is guaranteed by the First Amendment.
So for the bazillionth time we'll explain very, very, s l o w l y to these ignoramuses that the First Amendment prohibits the US Government from interferring with an American citizen's free speech. But even then, there are exceptions to that freedom--for example, you cannot yell FIRE! in a crowded theater when there is no fire, or joke about explosive devices while on an airplane, or threaten the life of the president or a member of Congress. Other than that, if I choose to, I could write on my blog, as do certain troglodytic and spelling-challenged rightwing bloggers, that the president of the United States is a Commie, Marxist, Socialist, Fascist, Kenyan anti-Christ who feeds honey-dipped puppies to Chris Christie, while shopping at Target, swinging a golf club, and smoking weed. But I don't. I leave that sort of overwrought tripe to those in the rightwing blogsphere, who continue to reinforce our suspicion that they've never actually read the Constitution, since they habitually get the First Amendment wrong. All the time.
ESPN is a private corporation that made a business decision when it chose to not air Williams' drunken claptrap about Mr. Obama. ESPN understands that its viewers are Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and Independents, as well as Americans of all colors, and it does not wish to insult any demographic--it's bad for business. That's why when drunken idiots like Hank Williams, Jr., or pill-besotted racists like Rush Limbaugh, make slanderous remarks about presidents and football players, they get sacked. Pissing viewers off is bad for business. So, ESPN gets rid of inarticulate and hog-mouthed boobs who can't control their flapping mutton-lips and who demonstrate to the world what embarrassing blockheads they truly are.
Don't like ESPN's decision to can the jackass, Williams? Don't watch it. Simple.
No government agent will come knocking on your door to take away your right to be outraged over a well-deserved firing.
Now excuse me while I go watch reruns on ESPN of last night's game when the fabulous Tigers beat the (insert epithet of choice) Yankees.
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