Anyone else remember when Bill Maher was fired from ABC in 2002 for saying this:

[Arger68]

"We have been the cowards. Lobbing cruise missiles from two thousand miles away. That's cowardly. Staying in the airplane when it hits the building. Say what you want about it. Not cowardly. You're right."

So does anyone remember their conservative colleagues arguing in favor of Bill Maher's first amendment rights? I remember working with a Rushbot that was bragging about him getting fired and saying "if you work for ABC the first amendment doesn't apply" or something to that effect.

[LTR]

1. How many times has Sarah-dippity called for his firing?

Or the firing of anyone who dares to call her a moron?

And were all these same people defending the Dixie Chicks' right to free speech ten years ago?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Sarah-dippity? LOL. Good one.

[joeglow3]

19. True. But I saw the tables turned with liberals

I knew many a liberal who complained about the violation of the Dixie Chicks first amendment rights and who are ecstatic now. Conclusion: there are idiots all over the political spectrum and they all embarrass me.

It also saddens me that their vote counts the same as mine

[kcr]

25. Right, because what the Dixie Chicks said and what Ducky Asshole said are exactly the same

So it would be equally idiotic to be angry about the offense of either one. False equivalency time!

[Thinkingabout]

27. Did the Dixie Chicks say the same thing or did Robertson go over the top.

I don't think they did, not even close to what Robertson said. He wants to tell how much of a Christian he is while saying vile statements.

[kcr]

30. Yes, I don't think it's even close to the same thing

Big difference between criticizing your government and being a hateful bigot. That's why I think drawing comparisons don't even work.

[Thinkingabout]

34. We have the right not to watch a show but his comments are terrible.

[kcr]

35. Yep, and not only that he doesn't have the right to a show. A&E doesn't have to give him one. n/t

[Thinkingabout]

36. You are very right, guess his backers can get him a show on one of the christian channels.

[kcr]

37. I'm sure that will happen.

That may have been the intent. They were the hottest thing going. I bet they had a better offer.

[Thinkingabout]

38. As they say, "Be nice to those on your way up for you will pass them on your way down".

He can now say he lost his perks to gays, bet he did not realize it could chop off his legs.

[joeglow3]

39. You and I have different standards

I saw thing when bashir said, on a national news program that someone should shit in palins mouth. I consider that wrong and saw the same hypocrisy. In short, I hate people....

[kcr]

40. No, I don't think that's the case

All wrongs are not equal. And when people come out and point out false equivalencies, they're almost always pushing an agenda.

[joeglow3]

41. Regardless is if the act is equal, the point stands

People were complaining about his freedom of speech then, just as the nuts are screaming it today.

[kcr]

43. No, it doesn't

If we're pointing fingers and accusing people of hypocrisy, then it does matter if the act is equal.

[joeglow3]

44. Holy shit that came out wrong

You are correct. Damn autocorrect.

[LTR]

31. Robertson's comments didn't bother me at all

Perhaps it's because I could really care less about the ramblings of flash-in-the-pan "reality" TV personalities. That's his problem.

I have, however, been more amused at the right-wing response, as they play the oppressed victim once again, all the while conveniently forgetting the many right-winters screaming to censor opinions they disagree with.

[Kurovski]

2. Yep. You heard NOTHING anti-war or anti-Bush on the TEEVEE for a long time

after a spate of similar firings.

He was an oasis when we went to see him live at Governor's State University, both in support and to maintain sanity during that horrible period in American history.

"Americans need to watch what they say"--Ari fleischer

[yurbud]

18. that Ari Fleischer quotes was one of the creepiest to come directly from a Bushie

and one of the biggest red flags that Baby Bush was not going to be a C student rerun of Papa, and that our democracy was in critical condition, and the GOP was holding a pillow over its face waiting for it to die.

[Bradical79]

22. And censorship on the radio

Dixie Chicks were blacklisted, and other bands were taken off the playlists for having lyrics deemed unacceptable to the pro-war message. Rage Against the Machine is one that comes to mind specifically.

[otohara]

4. Dixie Chicks, Phil Donahue, Martin Bashir

Then theres a slew of apologies from our side.

[Archae]

5. Maher is still a blithering idiot.

His stand on vaccines and autism is pure woo.

[SomethingFishy]

7. Yeah and his stand on health care,

the economy, gay rights, the war on drugs, unemployment, the social safety net, racism and Republican morons are all right on the mark.

Gee we should take away his membership card...

[Pretzel_Warrior]

8. he's right on issues far more often than 99% of our politicians

[Kurovski]

9. I've never heard word one about his views on your woo.

And I don't give a toodle.

He's hardly a blithering idiot, for fuck's goddamed sake.

So you disagree with him on that. Is it money out of your pocket? We're free to get all the vaccinations we want. a comedian is hardly our go-to guy for medical advice. I'd say some of his sexist views are a somewhat bigger to-do

Jesus, has every other DUer gone banana-pickles tonight? WTF?

[Archae]

10. Maher may be correct on some subjects...

But on vaccines and autism, he's an asshole.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/03/02/1191045/-Bill-Maher-Anti-Science-Knuckle-Dragger#

[Whisp]

14. He can be an asshole sometimes, sure.

Sometimes I want to wring his skinny little smarmy neck but most times I think he is a comedy genius.

People are funny - they don't always think exactly as other funny people

[Enthusiast]

12. That isn't the point of the discussion.

We are discussing how "our" side is condemned when we speak out against establishment narrative.

The same people that were condemning Maher and cheering the loss of his Politically Incorrect program are now defending the Duck guy. Get it? You probably don't get it.

[progressoid]

16. What has he said about autism?

I read the stuff he said about flu shots but haven't heard his autism/vaccine stance.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

17. he is anti vaccines? UGH

[OnionPatch]

20. He's not perfect. I love him anyway.

I've been a fan since way back in his "Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death" days.

I don't hold to liberal purity tests. He's plenty liberal enough for me and more than funny enough.

[loudsue]

23. I think your views on pure woo are PURE WOO.

Edited to remove still snarkier comment.

[tenderfoot]

32. +1

[Logical]

45. Really, he is your first choice to attack? Nice! Nt

[libodem]

6. Hell, yeah!

[JDPriestly]

11. Your conservative colleague was right about one thing: the First Amendment does not apply

to your employer unless you are working for the government. The Bill of Rights prohibits Congress from passing laws that violate the rights listed.

[Arger68]

15. I agree.

The first amendment only protects an individual from the government, not a corporation. Though it seems to be getting harder to tel which is which...

[Wounded Bear]

13. He also called 9/11 a 'faith based initiative'...

That got the fundies panties in a twist.

[Rex]

21. It is simple, the RWing hate machine can do almost anything they want

but when the Left opens it's mouth...instant firing! That is why the M$M sucks and leaves so many people uninformed about what is really important and what their corporate paymasters want them to say.

[KurtNYC]

24. There is no integrity without consistency. n/t

[colsohlibgal]

26. Irrationality Ruled In That Period

I don't agree with Bill on everything but I agree with him a lot more than I disagree. It may have not been the smartest thing to say but.....who wants to fly a plane into a building? How sure could they be about those 72 virgins?

Of course ABC being fraidy pants and firing Maher was the best thing that ever happened to him. And - by far the most disgusting firing was MSNBC firing Donahue for daring to question the wisdom of starting a war over more than shaky pretenses. They made it even more awful by replacing him with a foul mouthed fascist type then having to fire that jerk.

In the end that ill advised war has ruined so many lives and all for mostly gas and war profiteering and will wind up costing us trillions.

[Gothmog]

28. I remember this incident well

At the time the country was over-reacting to the September 11 attack. I am glad that things are finally calming down

[Kingofalldems]

29. Phil!

[BainsBane]

33. The First Amendment would only apply

If the GOVERNMENT stepped in and prevented ABC or A&E from broadcasting certain speech. The First Amendment has nothing to do with personnel or programming decisions that broadcasters make. Those are about business, profit--nothing more. Both ABC and A&E decided those individuals were bad for their bottom line, as is their right.

[adavid]

42. Replace cruise missle with "drone", and throw in wedding (n/t)