Persuasive

How far does the freedom of speech extend? If it allows a person to insult somebody and not get in trouble, why should it matter if that insult was broadcasted on live television? This issue is currently being addressed based on the comment that was made from Don Imus concerning the Rutgers women's basketball team. A majority of the people believe that this comment violated the First Amendment and was completely unnecessary. However, there are loyal fans that are stating that it was simply Don Imus' humor that was misunderstood by the public. Don Imus' show was recently canceled based on the number of people that expressed their disapproval of keeping the show on the air to CBS. This has opened a lot of people's eyes and has caused them to question where to draw the line when it comes to a person's right to freedom of speech.

It is clear that a majority of Americans believe that Don Imus definitely crossed the line when it comes to freedom of speech. His comment went beyond just an insult; it was a racial and derogatory statement. People are allowed to express their thoughts and feelings; however, there needs to be a certain level of respect that is constantly upheld. His comment completely lacked any respect for the women and was extremely hurtful. Because of this event, many people are continuously addressing the question of how far does freedom of speech go, especially because this was broadcasted on live television. CBS had to take action because the public reacted very strongly to this situation. According to Leslie Moonves, who is president and CEO of CBS, "the network's cancellation decision was based on the depth of the response" (Weiss A10). The actions that CBS took were appropriate and necessary because if Don Imus was not punished, other people would believe it is acceptable to use disparaging language and disrespect people, through the use of humor, on the radio.

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