Wow! One post in an entire ten year span! Right now, at the back of my mind, is Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones (Chapter 37) and God's question to the prophet ... "shall these bones live?" I know it's hardly an appropriate question to apply to my little blog that I started decades ago. Back then, there were not as many voices as there are now on blogs, podcasts, instagrams and everywhere else. But it's the question I have at the back of mind for my dead blog ... shall this blog live? I thought I'd revive it in 2020 but only managed the one entry. Sigh....
Charlie Kirk has been killed. I should have blogged that day. When my wife texted me the news, I was sure it was a hoax - some kind of bait-click fake news. We all know differently now. His assassination is profound, significant and heart-wrenching.
Jimmy Kimmel has been suspended by ABC. And even conservatives seem a bit flummoxed. One of my least favorite "conservatives", the great RINO Carl Rove wrote a Wall Street Journal article this week, chiding conservatives that there was no "they" in Charlie Kirk's murder. I'll skip my comments about that issue and get back to the Kimmel controversy.
I heartily concur with all voices decrying FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's insertion of himself and his position into this arena. I don't support government threatening broadcasters with comments like "we can do this the easy way, or the hard way". That, however, is NOT the core of Jimmy Kimmel's firing.
I suppose none of us can really speak for ABC and their ultimate reasons for firing (or suspending) Jimmy Kimmel. And whether you watch his show or not, think he's funny or not, believe Chairman Carr overstepped or not, let's not lose sight of two very pertinent facts.
Jimmy Kimmel LIED about Charlie Kirk's assassin when he said he was part of the MAGA crowd.
Jimmy Kimmel REFUSED to apologize when his bosses confronted him about this situation. In fact, some reports are that he intended to double down on his MAGA connection on his Wednesday night rant/broadcast/comedy routine.
So this is not about "free speech." Free speech is when government intrudes and silences our speech. Mr. Kimmel can continue to espouse his lies (apart from slander/libel), his views, his "humor", etc. His speech has not been limited or silenced by the government, nor his employer. His employer simply thought continuing to give him a platform for this trajectory of ranting (I thought he was a late night comedian, not a political commentator - but that horse died a long time ago - where's Leno when you need a good laugh?) would be economically damaging to their company. And with Kimmel's stubborn blindness and haughty ego of not yielding, submitting or apologizing, he found himself jobless.
I submit ABC feared the American public and the very motivated Charlie Kirk conservative right far more than they feared Chairman Carr's unfortunate comments.
Lastly, remember in all this verbiage from everyone, Jimmy Kimmel DID NOT and DOES NOT have a right to a job at ABC. That's a privilege. One he took for granted. And one he lost.
It's what so many leftists are learning right now. You have a right and freedom to speech. But you will be held accountable for it. Central to the ideology of leftist thinking is just the opposite...they want no accountability...not for their speech, not for their policies, not for their behavior.
I don't even know who ABC put in place of Jimmy Kimmel. I hope it's someone actually funny. And I hope the FCC distraction doesn't tempt them to bring Kimmel back.
