The Limits Of Free Speech?
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Rape As A Comedic Device
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Rape As A Comedic Device
I just heard this lovely exchange from XM's "The Opie And Anthony Show" describing the graphic sexual assault of Condoleezza Rice:
Homeless Charlie: "I'll tell you what -- what's that George Bush b**tch, um, Rice? Condoleezza Rice? I'd love to f**k that b**tch. She needs a f**king man."
Anthony: "I'm just imagining the horror in Condoleezza Rice's face...as she just realizes that you're holding her down and f**king her."
Homeless Charlie: "Punching her all in her f**king face: shut up, b**tch..."
Anthony: "That's exactly what I meant."
Ah. Rape as a comedic device. I believe the Greek humorist Aristophanes first popularized this.
Is this unpleasant exchange a case where free speech should be limited? As one of the most popular radio shows in America, should "The Opie and Anthony Show"' be held accountable for an exchange that makes light of rape? If Don Imus got sacked for his comments, should they as well?
Or is entertainment like this just a release for all the ugly, repulsive, racist, sexist, misanthrophic urges that lie lizard-like and dormant in the hearts of a section of the population? Does a show like this create the problem, or merely mirror it?
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ReplyDeletehttp://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/05/11/shockjocks.sexcomment.ap/index.html
ReplyDeleteWell, they apologized for it. I guess that makes everything all better, right?
</sarcasm>
Pussies!
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't humor. There was nothing humorous about what they said. It was simply disgusting assholes showing their true colors.
ReplyDeleteWell, does free speech need to be limited in order for it to be wrong? I mean, can't we simply say, collectively, that what they said was terrible, and we won't listen to their show ever, rather than using the law to remove people's freedoms? I can't think of a time when free speech itself could ever be a bad thing. But people certainly do say things other people don't like, and I think the solution is to neither listen to them, nor give them money.
ReplyDeleteExactly. They have a right to free speech, not a right to get paid for speech. And no one should be earning money for that kind of garbage.
ReplyDeleteOh, speaking of "Rape-comedy", I just want to mention...MAN does "The Wedding Crashers" suck.
ReplyDelete