Bill Schneider, over at NewWest, reviews the reaction to “Outdoor Life’s” firing of Jim Zumbo as well as his first column about this First Amendment debacle. You know what to do.
“Wild Bill” correctly notes that it was the NRA’s trained minions, the attack dogs spooked by now decades of fiery rhetoric and scare-tactic fundraising appeals, that took down this most famous of hunting writers. And “Outdoor Life,” Zumbo’s writing home for decades, caved into the pressure brought to bear by these same NRA zombies. Not a First Amendment issue? You bet it was. Instead of standing behind Zumbo, no matter what he said on his blog posting, the magazine fell to its knees in the face of the pressure.
Here’s Schneider’s original column.
3 responses so far ↓
Melissa // March 14, 2007 at 9:26 am |
Hello,
Just wanted to let you know I linked to your blog in my column on CBSNews.com today. Thanks!
If you want to take a look, here’s the link: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/13/blogophile/main2562694.shtml
Thanks,
Melissa
Fred Farkel // March 15, 2007 at 5:11 pm |
Would it be a first amendment issue if a Baptist minister, speaking from his pulpit, were to say, “Adultery? I’m cool with adultery.” Of course not; he’d be fired. Speech has its consequences. Mr. Zumbo chose to inflame his audience, his employers’ customers; they promptly responded.
Alan Gregory // March 15, 2007 at 8:51 pm |
Fred,
You’re putting catsup on the hot dog when it calls for mustard. Yes, speech has its consequences. I never said it does not. But Outdoor Life, rather than honor the First Amendment and stick with Zumbo, chose to cave into outside pressure — pressure (brought to bear by the NRA and the rest of the gun mafia) that squelched the man’s speech. Outdoor Life — that bastion of reactionary hook-and-bullet journalism — stepped on the First Amendment. All over it.