Bobby Eberle
Tuesday, April 22, 2003

Since the adoption of the Bill of Rights into the U.S. Constitution, there have been few tenets as reliable as our freedom of speech. On playgrounds across the country, children pour forth with epithets such as "pigface" and "goofball." When told by peers to be quiet, the standard response is: "It's a free country." The recipient of the verbal barrage would then respond in kind.

Criticism from adults works in much the same way, or at least it did until we were given the Hollywood interpretation of the First Amendment. According to Hollywood, freedom of speech (when used by a "celebrity") also implies freedom from criticism.

On April 15, actor Tim Robbins spoke at the National Press Club and said that "a chill wind is blowing in this nation," referring to the repercussions he says are being felt by people who speak out against the war. "A message is being sent through the White House and its allies in talk radio and Clear Channel and Cooperstown: If you oppose this administration, there can and will be ramifications," Robbins said.

Robbins went on to say: "Every day, the air waves are filled with warnings, veiled and unveiled threats, spewed invective and hatred directed at any voice of dissent. And the public, like so many relatives and friends that I saw this weekend, sit in mute opposition and fear."

Robbins, like many on the liberal left, just doesn't get it. For him, it is perfectly fine to exercise his First Amendment rights to criticize the war with Iraq, President Bush and any number of conservative policies, just as long as he is not criticized in return. How dare anyone dispute his claims! Can't America see that our First Amendment rights to our own free speech are somehow different from his?

In his speech, Robbins went as far as saying that he and his "wife," Susan Sarandon, "were told that both we and the First Amendment were not welcome at the Baseball Hall of Fame." This comment would be laughable if it weren't so scary.

Apparently, Robbins and Sarandon find it offensive that the organizers of the Baseball Hall of Fame would exercise their First Amendment rights to say what they want to say and host the kind of event that they want to host. Although it might seem unlikely to some, perhaps the organizers of the Baseball Hall of Fame wanted their event to actually focus on baseball.

Robbins again showed his arrogance when he talked about a friend of his in the music business. "A famous middle-aged rock-and-roller called me last week to thank me for speaking out against the war, only to go on to tell me that he could not speak himself because he fears repercussions from Clear Channel. 'They promote our concert appearances,' he said. 'They own most of the stations that play our music. I can't come out against this war,' " Robbins said.

Statements such as these reinforce the notion that many of these liberal "celebrities" live in an isolated fantasy world. Although Robbins' friend might see that people are sometimes held accountable for what they say, many on the left do not. Many not only feel they can say anything they want and not be criticized about it, they also feel that their words and actions do not have consequences.

Yes, we have a First Amendment right to freedom of speech. But, as often as we sometimes want to say it, how many of us actually tell our boss to go jump in a lake? How many of us would actually say "yes" when asked by our wife or girlfriend, "Do I look fat to you?"

Why not? Because words are not empty. Words have meaning. Expressing thoughts as spoken words implies a willingness to face the consequences that may result from those words. In other words, if you can't take the heat, don't open your mouth.

Although some Hollywood executives may be moved to make a certain film no matter the results of test screenings and initial feedback, most are hoping that the films they make will be accepted by the audience and make them money. The bottom line is their motivating factor.

So, when faced with circumstances which may affect their bottom line, who can blame them for not taking corrective actions? Who can blame them? The "celebrities" can.

With the public outraged by statements from the likes of Janeane Garofalo, Martin Sheen and Susan Sarandon, it seems quite logical that film executives would not cast that trio in a feature and honestly think it would be a box office hit.

When faced with thousands of angry phone calls about the Dixie Chicks, Clear Channel stations could do one of two things: Ignore the deluge of calls from its audience or stop playing the Dixie Chicks. In a simple act of protecting its bottom line, Clear Channel chose to pull the songs.

Fortunately, their motivation seems as much motivated by patriotism as it is by economics, but the point is that they were justified simply from an economic perspective.

The cries of "conspiracy" by the left about being blacklisted for their anti-war/anti-Bush comments also shows a complete lack of grasping public opinion. It is not a conspiracy when 80 percent of the people agree that the war to remove Saddam Hussein is a good thing. It is not a conspiracy when phone lines are flooded with callers complaining about the Dixie Chicks criticizing President Bush on foreign soil during a war.

The majority of Americans support President Bush and the war with Iraq, and for these "celebrities" to be surprised when they receive criticism shows just how out of touch they are.

The Hollywood "celebrities" on the left just don't get it. They feel they can do or say whatever they please without facing criticism or consequences. It's time for them to wake up and join the real world.

Maybe we'll reach the point when we can all tell our bosses to take a hike and they'll respond by saying: "Thank you for that honest assessment. I really appreciate your comments." Until then, our First Amendment rights continue to be strong. Just as strong are the consequences for using those First Amendment rights without first using their brains.

Bobby Eberle is president and CEO of GOPUSA (www.GOPUSA.com), a news, information and commentary company based in Houston, Texas. He holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Rice University.

Mr. Eberle may be reached at bobby.eberle@gopusa.com.

Editor's note:
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