http://youtu.be/ODI-NALkI4c
Rush Limbaugh‘s radio attack on Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke for her advocacy of contraception insurance coverage has been met with an unprecedented response. As a result, at least 29 sponsors and 2 radio stations reportedly have abandoned Limbaugh thus far. However, some are saying that Rush should be left alone because he has “the right to free speech.” Those folks are confused.
What’s at issue here isn’t Rush Limbaugh’s right to free speech. Limbaugh generally has the right to stand on a soapbox and spew hatred at the top of his lungs, so long as his speech isn’t obscene, defamatory [and by the way, a good argument could be made that some of Rush’s statements about Sandra Fluke were defamatory], a call to violence, or in violation of “time and place” requirements such as local noise ordinances. Rather, the issue here is whether companies should support Limbaugh’s statements with their radio advertising dollars.
Those companies make such endorsement decisions based on what’s good for their business. Part of that calculation is the P.R. analysis of whether their endorsement of someone reflects badly on the company. Radio listeners and other engaged Americans have as much freedom of speech to contact those companies, as well as members of Congress and others, to let the corporate executives know how they feel about the companies’ endorsements of the person in question. Sometimes, skittish advertisers don’t even wait for a public backlash before taking action. This has happened before, for example, with Tiger Woods.
In the case of Rush Limbaugh, millions of Americans used the technology of the Internet, including social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, to express their shock and displeasure at Limbaugh’s comments. Thus, the backlash against Rush has been relatively speedy and organized, which likely has added to its effectiveness.
Rush Limbaugh has just learned the important lesson that “freedom of speech” entails responsibility by the speaker for the consequences of his or her statements. Part of such responsibility is facing the free speech of people who disagree with your free speech.
