Free Speech Is Expensive

Yes, we have free speech in America. Our First Amendment is still fit and trim, although it's had a few punches thrown at it lately. That's one of the great things about America: we are free to say what ever we wish without fear of governmental consequences.

Notice the parsing of my words, there, however. I didn't say without fear of consequences, but without fear of governmental retribution.

Kinky Friedman is finding out today that there are very real consequences and a very real price to be paid for speech. I've always been clear about who my choice for governor is: Chris Bell. But, I've interviewed Kinky and we've run opinion pieces by Kinky supporters on the front page of this site. I'd probably run one for Grandma and quite possibly Perry if a regular reader was adamant about it.

But I am curious about something. First, do give the Kinky post at BOR a read, and then come back and tell us what you think. Should a comedian be judged a racist for comments made more than 25 years ago? Are there mitigating circumstances? Does Kinky's behavior seem serial? Does it disqualify him or anyone from seeking higher office? Do we demand too much perfection, especially in light of the George Allen Macaca Meltdown?

Sean-Paul Kelley September 21, 2006 - 6:52pm

Sean-Paul Kelley's diary | printer friendly version |

( categories: Liberties )

I think I just need...

... to name two men to answer your question:

Strom Thurmond and Robert Byrd.

Apparently non-perfection can land you the longest tenure in the Senate.

Silent Autumn September 21, 2006 - 8:30pm

Next you're going to tell me

that a Hitler Youth can become Pope.

Escher Sketch September 21, 2006 - 9:27pm

or a third-rate screen actor President of the US [eom]

-5.75,-4.05 "The invisible hand of Adam Smith seems to offer an extended middle finger to an awful lot of people"---George Carlin

justadood September 22, 2006 - 12:04am

Being Ironic?

Arnie is too young to have participated in the Hitler Youth, since he was born well after 1945. Ratzinger lived in Germany, as a German in 1939 when membership in the Hitler youth was made mandatory so his claim that he participated under duress is quite credible.

Although the expression 'Hitler Youth' evokes images of radically nationalistic, fascist, and anti-semitic youth, participation was essentially part of the German draft after 1939. As a consequence, any German who lived there, and turned 14 betwen 1939 and 1945 (currently between 75 and 81) will almost certainly have been a member of the Hitler Youth.

NateTG September 22, 2006 - 12:52pm

I took the reference as "Reagan", not "Schwarzenegger".

- EOM

Escher Sketch September 22, 2006 - 1:01pm

Kinky's response

from his website

While Rick Perry was cheerleading in college and Chris Bell was being potty trained, Kinky Friedman was picketing segregated restaurants in Austin to integrate them. Now that Kinky’s in second place and a serious threat to the two-party system, Perry and Bell have paid political assassins to dig back as far as 30 years through fictional books, comedy shows and satirical song lyrics, desperately seeking to paint Kinky as a racist.

Republicans and Democrats have created an entire industry-- called Opposition Research-- whose sole purpose is to tarnish and destroy people’s reputations. This is why regular citizens don't run for office. If you do, and you start to threaten the system as Kinky has, you’re going to be attacked.

Kinky has overcome all of the obstacles placed before him - getting on the ballot, raising millions of dollars, building the largest grassroots network Texas has ever seen, and breaking 20% in the polls months ago. He's a serious threat to the establishment, and when you threaten the political establishment, they use the money generated from their formidable fundraising machines to pay for "dirty tricks" tactics to manipulate the press.

It's a slimy industry that exists for the sole purpose of destroying people and -- like cockroaches-- scurries for the shadows whenever a light is shined on it.

The latest political assassination attempt takes completely out of context a controversial word that Kinky was using in a 1980 stand-up performance to lampoon racists. Playing a character on stage, Kinky was exposing bigotry through comedy and satire.

It’s pathetic that the major-party candidates have sunk to this – trying to paint Kinky as a racist when, in fact, he was poking fun at racists. Shame on the press for being complicit. Rather than confront our opponents on their tactics and get the full story, they are allowing industries like opposition research to exist and operate outside the understanding of most voters.

I did inhale.

Don September 22, 2006 - 11:12am

I agree that it seems pretty clear

that Kinky was lampooning racists, not making gratuitous racist statements.

Escher Sketch September 22, 2006 - 11:55am

Full disclosure

I support Kinky Friedman for Governor.

First, let me commend Sean-Paul for posting my diary entry announcing my support for Kinky. That's why I come back to the Agonist. Divergent voices are tolerated here.

Kinky Friedman will provide lots of ammo for his opponents and they won't have to look far to find it.

A few songs that come to mind:

Men's room in LA Here Kinky describes a dilema--stuckin in the the men's room in LA with no toilet paper when he spies a Jesus pamphlet...

Get your biscuits in the oven and your buns in the bed. Women will love this one.

Bill Clinton could have used this one. Waitret, pleas Waitret Sung by a man with a hair-lip: Waitret oh waitret come sit on my fate. Cause eatin ain't cheatin, it'd be no ditgrate...

There's Asshole from El Paso, The ballad of Charles Whitman, Ride Em Jewboy, They don't make Jews like Jesus anymore. Etc.

His band members all had offensive stage names. One called himself the Big Nig.

KInky readily admits to smoking dope in his past and still being friends to those that do.

Gasp!

He even snorted cocaine!

Kinky tells the truth. Guess that disqualifies him from being a good politician.

I did inhale.

Don September 22, 2006 - 11:40am

Perry and Bell

may be good politicians, but Kinky makes me laugh.

Check out this dead serious article from the New Yorker.

I did inhale.