Did you see the massive media firestorm over the comments made by both Jonah Hill and Justin Bieber?
It’s crazy, there has been nothing on my newsfeed, my Facebook and Twitter but stories about how angry people are over the comments made by these celebrities. Hill made a homophobic comment and Bieber made racist remarks not once, but twice on video. The result has been chaos as media across the country discusses the comments and the anger people are expressing as a result.
Except…no such media firestorm exists.
Oh yes, both Jonah Hill and Justin Bieber made comments, and yet unless you were really paying attention or watching late night talk shows you would never know it.
A recent article reveals that Jonah Hill called a paparazzo a f****t and the incident was captured on video and aired by TMZ. Clearly this is a homophobic slur that we have been repeatedly told is unacceptable and offenders will be vilified on every media outlet known to man before they are forced to apologize, resign from whatever position they hold, and retreat into shameful hiding.
And yet, after the incident Hill went on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” where he apologized for the slur and was immediately forgiven. Since then there has been little more than a blurb here and there on social media and blogs (like this one) about the incident.
I appears that the media has decided Jonah Hill is an alright guy and we can still like him, he can keep whatever job he is working on (he’s an actor so it must be okay), and his life will remain intact with only the video on the Internet preserved for posterity.
And Justin Bieber, he made racist remarks.
A video has surfaced of Bieber, then at 15 years of age, telling a racist joke with the N-Word as the punchline. The now 20-year-old apologized for the video and said that ignorance “has no place in our society.” Apparently that is all that is needed because Bieber has been forgiven and the media has moved on to other news.
But this is very troubling news that needs discussed. No, not what they said, but rather the result, or lack thereof of their words.
Why is it that when Donald Sterling makes racist remarks he is immediately attacked viciously in the media, banned from the NBA, and forced to sell the L.A. Clippers? Why is it that when Brenden Eich makes a statement supporting traditional marriage (in the form of a donation to the Prop 8 campaign), which was considered “homophobic” he is vilified in the media, and pressured by Mozilla to resign (which is the politically correct version of being fired)? Why is it that when a decade’s old racist comment by Paula Deen surfaces she is attacked by the media and forced into hiding?
These cases destroy the argument that Bieber’s comment was in the past, not current, so he should be given another chance. Both Eich’s “comment” and Deen’s comment were in the past but no one wanted to give them a second chance.
What these cases reveal is a shocking double standard for morality in America. It seems as though as long as you are a media darling, celebrity, pop star, movie star, or someone else the media is not threatened by, you’re safe. You can do and say whatever you want and get a pass because you’re part of the cool club.
But, if you are in the media’s radar for any reason, such as being conservative, Christian, or conservative Christian, you get no pass, no second chance, and no leniency. If you make one wrong statement, utter one wrong word, you will be hounded like an escaped convict until “justice” is served. And justice is only served when your name is a by-word for bigot, hate, and intolerance and your entire life is turned upside down.
Are we all sufficiently concerned that free speech is being slowly but surely stripped from our inherent, God-give rights? Call me libertarian, call me what you like, but while I don’t support or condone racist or derogatory comments towards homosexuals are anyone else, I support the right of a person to make those comments. I’m sure some won’t like hearing that but looking at this logically the other side of the coin is far worse.
If the government, or even just the media, can malign a person and seek to lodge penalties, fines, or worse for making a racist or homophobic remark, where does it stop?
What if the government decides to levy fines and imprisonment on people for anti-government remarks? Or for remarks against a religion? (Oops, already did that). Or because they don’t like the tone of voice someone used?
You get the point. If the government can attack the free speech of one person for one reason, it is just a matter of time before they attack the free speech of all people for any reason. The only way to guard against this is to allow truly free speech, which includes speech that others find offensive.
As a Christian I find it deeply offensive when people make disparaging, insulting comments about Jesus Christ, God, or Christians. But I haven’t seen one person arrest, investigated, or even questions for such comments. So if offense is the standard we are using why are minorities and LGBT persons the only ones not allowed to be offended?
In a truly free society free speech is a cornerstone; that’s why our Founder’s included in the FIRST amendment. When the government starts removing that right you can be sure all others will eventually topple. The cases of Jonah Hill and Justin Bieber should trouble us all and remind us that the speech of every individual should be protected.
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Justin Bieber and Jonah Hill Prove Free Speech is Dying
Posted on June 12, 2014 in Public Policy, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
It’s crazy, there has been nothing on my newsfeed, my Facebook and Twitter but stories about how angry people are over the comments made by these celebrities. Hill made a homophobic comment and Bieber made racist remarks not once, but twice on video. The result has been chaos as media across the country discusses the comments and the anger people are expressing as a result.
Except…no such media firestorm exists.
Oh yes, both Jonah Hill and Justin Bieber made comments, and yet unless you were really paying attention or watching late night talk shows you would never know it.
A recent article reveals that Jonah Hill called a paparazzo a f****t and the incident was captured on video and aired by TMZ. Clearly this is a homophobic slur that we have been repeatedly told is unacceptable and offenders will be vilified on every media outlet known to man before they are forced to apologize, resign from whatever position they hold, and retreat into shameful hiding.
And yet, after the incident Hill went on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” where he apologized for the slur and was immediately forgiven. Since then there has been little more than a blurb here and there on social media and blogs (like this one) about the incident.
I appears that the media has decided Jonah Hill is an alright guy and we can still like him, he can keep whatever job he is working on (he’s an actor so it must be okay), and his life will remain intact with only the video on the Internet preserved for posterity.
And Justin Bieber, he made racist remarks.
A video has surfaced of Bieber, then at 15 years of age, telling a racist joke with the N-Word as the punchline. The now 20-year-old apologized for the video and said that ignorance “has no place in our society.” Apparently that is all that is needed because Bieber has been forgiven and the media has moved on to other news.
But this is very troubling news that needs discussed. No, not what they said, but rather the result, or lack thereof of their words.
Why is it that when Donald Sterling makes racist remarks he is immediately attacked viciously in the media, banned from the NBA, and forced to sell the L.A. Clippers? Why is it that when Brenden Eich makes a statement supporting traditional marriage (in the form of a donation to the Prop 8 campaign), which was considered “homophobic” he is vilified in the media, and pressured by Mozilla to resign (which is the politically correct version of being fired)? Why is it that when a decade’s old racist comment by Paula Deen surfaces she is attacked by the media and forced into hiding?
These cases destroy the argument that Bieber’s comment was in the past, not current, so he should be given another chance. Both Eich’s “comment” and Deen’s comment were in the past but no one wanted to give them a second chance.
What these cases reveal is a shocking double standard for morality in America. It seems as though as long as you are a media darling, celebrity, pop star, movie star, or someone else the media is not threatened by, you’re safe. You can do and say whatever you want and get a pass because you’re part of the cool club.
But, if you are in the media’s radar for any reason, such as being conservative, Christian, or conservative Christian, you get no pass, no second chance, and no leniency. If you make one wrong statement, utter one wrong word, you will be hounded like an escaped convict until “justice” is served. And justice is only served when your name is a by-word for bigot, hate, and intolerance and your entire life is turned upside down.
Are we all sufficiently concerned that free speech is being slowly but surely stripped from our inherent, God-give rights? Call me libertarian, call me what you like, but while I don’t support or condone racist or derogatory comments towards homosexuals are anyone else, I support the right of a person to make those comments. I’m sure some won’t like hearing that but looking at this logically the other side of the coin is far worse.
If the government, or even just the media, can malign a person and seek to lodge penalties, fines, or worse for making a racist or homophobic remark, where does it stop?
What if the government decides to levy fines and imprisonment on people for anti-government remarks? Or for remarks against a religion? (Oops, already did that). Or because they don’t like the tone of voice someone used?
You get the point. If the government can attack the free speech of one person for one reason, it is just a matter of time before they attack the free speech of all people for any reason. The only way to guard against this is to allow truly free speech, which includes speech that others find offensive.
As a Christian I find it deeply offensive when people make disparaging, insulting comments about Jesus Christ, God, or Christians. But I haven’t seen one person arrest, investigated, or even questions for such comments. So if offense is the standard we are using why are minorities and LGBT persons the only ones not allowed to be offended?
In a truly free society free speech is a cornerstone; that’s why our Founder’s included in the FIRST amendment. When the government starts removing that right you can be sure all others will eventually topple. The cases of Jonah Hill and Justin Bieber should trouble us all and remind us that the speech of every individual should be protected.
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