First
Amendment rights require responsibility
Lauren
Williams
The
First Amendment is arguably the most
essential portion of the Bill of Rights.
It guarantees citizens the right to self-expression
and ensures the government doesn’t
take that right from any citizen.
But,
as with any freedom, this right comes
with great responsibility. Too often
people abuse this right and use it as
a license to say offensive things or
behave in a way that might infringe upon
other peoples’ rights.
The most glaring example of people abusing these rights would be the actions
taken by Michael Graham a month ago.
Recently, Graham, a talk show host for a conservative radio station, said, “Sadly,
Islam has become a terrorist organization.” He even went so far as to
say, “Moderate Muslims are those who only want to kill Jews.” Within
the following week the Council on American-Islam Relations (CAIR) contacted
the radio station’s owners insisting they punish Graham for making such
outrageous remarks. Two weeks after Graham uttered his insensitive statement,
he was fired from the radio station.
When asked to comment on the actions taken by his former employers he told
a CNN news anchor his First Amendment rights were being violated, proving that
not only is he ignorant of the teachings of Islam, but he is also oblivious
when it comes to his own rights.
Graham’s association of all Muslims with terrorists would be as erroneous
as associating all Christians with the beliefs and practices of the Amish,
Quakers or Mormons. Terrorists who affiliate themselves with Islam constitute
a minute portion of the overall Muslim population.
The actual Quran preaches the importance being kind and generous to others.
With the Quran, as with any document, many people have chosen to interpret
and manipulate its text to make it coincide with their own beliefs.
Graham was also incorrect in insisting his First Amendment rights had been
violated. Radio and television waves are the property of the public. The government
regulates radio waves and sells them to different companies.
When a significant number of people respond to something they saw or heard
that they found distasteful it is only logical that the station owners respond
accordingly. Graham is still capable of voicing his opinion, but because he
insists on insulting a large population of people he will have to use another
medium.
Because he is a figure in the media Graham should have known that making such
extreme and blatantly false statements would have major repercussions. Many
prominent figures in the media are often very influential on the public because
of the research and scrutiny they are expected to use before issuing a statement.
Clearly Graham doesn’t use the same judgment as other media personalities
and should not be on the air. If he were allowed to continue, his ignorant
statements might have influenced those who listen to his radio station.
Luckily,
groups like CAIR insure that people like
Graham are not given a forum to create
more hate and prejudice.
Unfortunately, Graham isn’t the only person in the media perpetuating
the negative stigma about Islam. Compared to many other conservative radio
talk show hosts his bias seems mild. Michael Savage, another conservative radio
host, is even less tolerant of different cultures and beliefs.
In addition to hosting a conservative talk show, Savage also has a Web site
that features gruesome pictures portraying Middle Eastern people in a negative
light. Many of the photos show acts of violence against Americans and have
the caption, “Know your enemy.”
The actions of these two commentators are a small sample of the widespread
intolerance that some people are displaying towards people of different cultures,
especially those of Middle Eastern background. Hopefully CAIR and other civil
rights organizations will continue speak out for disenfranchised people.
Lauren Williams is a second-year journalism major. |
