Lately the media has been saturated with the right to Freedom of Speech. There have been arguments with Rosie O’Donnell and people wanting to fire her due to her Un-American rants on the television show “The View”. Lately, Don Imus had been fired due to his racist remarks toward a Female African American basketball team.

I have never heard of Don Imus or seen his show. Shock jocks never have impressed me and knowing that they spew hate anyway would give someone a clue not to listen. Our society gives these celebrities a great deal of money to speak on the airwaves. Celebrities have their many fans who drool on every word. Imus, has been in the business of talking garbage about others an incredible thirty years. So why fire him now? Granted what he said was a stupid and hurtful thing to do, yet weren’t his words expected of him? As Americans are we all not responsible to breed this kind of contempt against people in this society? We claim to hate bigotry, racism and sexism, yet we slam the airwaves with this kind of talk or music. So was Don Imus a scapegoat? If he were young, handsome and charming would he have had the same response?

We have many young rappers who talk filth in the music industry. Their music consists of hate and murder to police officers and also brag of rape. These young rappers also call themselves derogatory names as well as any other culture. Their music is bought up in droves and many of these young people are incredibly rich. Is that Freedom of Speech or Racism? People buy this trash or listen to it.

We call this Freedom of Speech. How fine is the line between Freedom of Speech, racism, bigotry or negative words about our government (ex: Rosie O’ Donnell view against the United States as she spews propaganda and conspiracy theories). When is the line considered crossed to fire a person?

Being a white, Italian woman, in my youth there were many times I had been puzzled by words that parents, teachers and friends said about my Nationality. Even in the work place there were instances where I had been called “racist” names supposedly out of humor. Is there any one that hasn’t been called a name or put down? Granted it is cruel and hopefully our children and grandchildren will have a different take on what has happened generations before them. Thus, we all need to take accountability for our lives and also how to cope when a person does say cruel or racist words. Once can either hide or become stronger in knowing who they are, without allowing others to dictate another’s being of existence. Also if our society is becoming alarmed at racism or bigotry remarks we need to stop listening and buying products the person represents.

We are all responsible for racism and bigotry. We are all accountable on how we use our precious Freedom of Speech. We need to think, because there are consequences to our actions. Be kind - Rewind. Pray for those you dislike as though you would want someone to pray for you.

D'Maria Scaglione