Palin Defends Duck Dynasty Star's 'Free Speech'

[DonViejo]

CAITLIN MACNEAL – DECEMBER 19, 2013, 1:14 PM EST

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) on Wednesday defended "Duck Dynasty" star Phil Robertson after he was suspended from the reality television show for anti-gay comments he made in a GQ interview.

Palin on her Facebook page claimed that Robertson was exercising "free speech."



Palin is not always so forgiving when people make controversial comments on TV. Former MSNBC host Martin Bashir resigned from the network after he suggested that Palin be subject to gross slave punishments that Bashir described on air. Upon his apology, Palin said that "those with that platform, with a microphone, a camera in their face, they have to have some more responsibility taken."

Bashir made his comments after Palin gave a speech in which she compared the national debt to slavery.

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http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/palin-defends-duck-dynasty-star-s-free-speech

[sharp_stick]

1. Just think how close

this vapid idiot was to having some real power in this country. That is fucking terrifying.

[Gothmog]

2. The First Amendment only applies to State Actors

Unless a governmental entity is doing the censorship, the First Amendment does not apply. Here the TV network is free to take whatever steps they want and there is no violation of the First Amendment. This is basic constitutional law. Here is a brief explanation of this requirement from Cornell Law School http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/state_action_requirement

The state action requirement stems from the fact that the constitutional amendments which protect individual rights (especially the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment) are mostly phrased as prohibitions against government action. For example, the First Amendment states that “[c]ongress shall make no law” infringing upon the freedoms of speech and religion. Because of this requirement, it is impossible for private parties (citizens or corporations) to violate these amendments, and all lawsuits alleging constitutional violations of this type must show how the government (state or federal) was responsible for the violation of their rights. This is referred to as the state action requirement.

[chelsea0011]

3. Is this the same Palin that called out someone for using the "retarded" word?

[Arneoker]

4. Let me exercise my own right of free speech

Anyone who claims to respect Sarah Palin is either an idiot or a political tool with no integrity.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

5. You betcha