Choices

Life is all about choices and each day we each have choices to make regarding our actions and lives as a whole. This week was a sad week for America. Not sad like a death of someone or a catastrophic event like 09/11, but sad in the context of where America is today.

It is a fact that what Don Imus said about the Rutger's women's basketball team is disgusting and wrong. He deserved to face the consequences of his words, but I do not believe he deserved to be fired. America is place where freedom of speech is a right, and economics could have chosen his fate rather than an executive. All the advertisers who chose to pull their campaigns and all the people who chose not to listen to his show, could have easily ended the Don Imus show.

The news media and various groups are now discussing the music industry and rap music in particular for what some are calling a 'double-standard'. It is true that listening or watching some of the rap music sounds much worse than what Don Imus said, and is repeated over and over based on its popularity. Again, it is a choice that each of us have to make - I can turn off the television, radio or not purchase a CD when I don't like the content.

Democracy, the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights, all provide opportunities and choices for Americans. There is a reason that all of the details, although not perfect, have survived for 225+ years.

Censoring any right, but especially freedom of speech puts us all at risk. Who or what will be next? Who gets to decide what is right to put on the radio or television? I want to live in a country where I can say what I want and understand there could be consequences for my words. I don't want to be told what I can or cannot say, or afraid that I cannot speak freely without fear of persecution.