Letters: So-called ‘Fairness Doctrine' will deny free speech

It is incredible that Senators Schumer and Reid and Speaker Pelosi, et al, have taken time out from addressing the woes of America to short-focus on our internal enemy, free speech, and to bring their considerable power and influence to bear on the conservative AM radio talk shows such as Michael Savage, Laura Ingraham, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Reagan and the others.

It is true that these true patriots of America are the above-mentioned politicians' nemeses, bringing well deserved criticism against them. The so-called Fairness Doctrine being revived from the ash heap of history will, when implemented, have the fiscal effect of forcing radio stations across the nation to endure tremendous increased expenditures or drop the current programming to the utter detriment of our right to free speech and the listening to same.

Why do the elected politicians feel so threatened by a handful of news commentators? What have they to fear from free speech? What are they desperately trying to hide?

With the upcoming depression, Russia's imminent military exercises in South American waters/airspace, a reinvigorated Taliban ratcheting up attacks on military and civilian targets in Afghanistan and Iran moving ahead with all possible speed to complete atomic weaponry as the fast approaching delivery of sophisticated Russian missile systems to Iran is weeks away, it would seem that the American people's economic and physical well- being would be a top national priority for responsible and proactive elected representatives.

On second thought, maybe that is the problem — they are neither responsible nor proactive in a much-needed direction.

With the Bush administration's successful and yet incomplete sack of America with the subsequent fiscal enslavement of our grandchildren by way of what is arguably the biggest plunder of a country's national treasury and heritage in the immense black hole of history, we now face with a virtual unknown personage assuming the crown of chief executioner of state.

The American people now need more than ever voices of criticism of wrong thinking and actions — not silence. The imposition of a draconian law to crush free speech is a coup that must not be allowed to occur.

Write, e-mail and phone the Washington Anti-Free Speech Gang, voicing your demands for them to keep hands off of free speech.

Dale Bohling

Crescent City