Let’s face it. The right to speak freely, openly, and honestly is a thing of the past. Today, freedom of expression comes with conditions, especially if you’re on the right politically.
Specifically, I’m talking about the right to free expression on television or radio. The amount of latitude that one enjoys appears to hinge on two things: Is the message “politically correct” (whatever that means); and, will the message lead to lower “ratings” and/or lost sponsorships or advertisements?
Shortly thereafter, Fox issued a statement condemning Pirro’s statements about Omar. In addition, several advertisers decided to leave her show. The network eventually suspended Pirro.
Carlson’s comments were wrong. In other words, his supporters should not necessarily defend what he said. On the other hand, Pirro’s comments, while controversial, did not warrant the suspension. What, specifically, made Pirro’s comments “worse” than Carlson’s so as to warrant such a tough “sanction”? Was there more external pressure on Fox to take strong action against Pirro? Did more advertisers/sponsors threaten to leave? If so, is this the “test” by which we will determine what type of speech is acceptable and whether sanctions or punishment is necessary?
Double Standards?
For example, according to Fox News, CNN political analyst Paul Begala recently referred to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, both of whom are Jewish, as “cockroaches,” which reminded critics of hateful rhetoric that has been used against Jews. Somehow, the repugnant nature of Begala’s recent comment did not elicit calls for his termination or punishment from those who are looking to punish Carlson or Pirro.Last year, while discussing the nation’s immigration policy, MSNBC host Joe Scarborough compared the separation of children from their families to the actions of the Nazis.
Some could argue that comments of this nature were more offensive, insulting, hurtful, or vile than those made by Carlson or Pirro. Despite this, Scarborough, Brzezinski, and Deutsch are still with MSNBC, and no action has yet been taken against Begala.
The inconsistent treatment of the various hosts raises a serious question: What type of speech is permissible in the modern day? By “permissible,” I am not referring to what is “legally” permissible. Rather, where is the line drawn between what is acceptable and unacceptable speech?
Why, for example, would some people call for Carlson’s termination while leaving some of the MSNBC hosts alone? Why would Fox suspend Pirro for the question that she posed when MSNBC stood behind Brzezinski despite her offensive remarks about Pompeo? Finally, why would Fox stand behind Carlson, yet suspend Pirro?
The absence of a clearly defined standard is troubling and makes it very difficult to understand what is or isn’t appropriate to say on-air or otherwise.
For example, is the test for “appropriateness” determined by the number of people who disagree with a particular message? If so, what is the magic number and when is a suspension or termination warranted? Tangentially, does the determination of what is “appropriate” hinge on the number of dollars or advertisers that are lost in response to a particular statement?
To date, Fox has stood behind Carlson. However, the network’s decision to suspend Pirro was arbitrary and, some would say, cowardly. Fox could have easily indicated that Pirro’s comments did not reflect the opinions of Fox or its affiliates and left it at that. Moreover, the network could have defended Pirro (like Carlson) without endorsing what she said. Rather than doing so, the network suspended her and left her to fight for herself.
Elad Hakim is a writer, commentator, and attorney. His articles have been published in The Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, The Federalist, The Western Journal, American Thinker, and other online publications.