Talk Radio: The New Soapbox
by Tom Buchanan
Tuesday, June 26, 2007

A soapbox is defined as an improvised platform used by a self-appointed, spontaneous, or informal orator while making an impromptu or nonofficial public speech. It is also described as something that provides an outlet for delivering opinions.

Way before the Internet, television and even radio people have longed to speak their mind and make use of their Freedom of Speech. This freedom is so important to our society that it is the protected in the first amendment to our Constitution.

A old wooded soapbox helped the individual rise up above the crowd where his voice could be broadcast in hopes that his words could find the ears of like-minded individuals to ensure him that he was not alone.

Today the crowd is different. It is defined by the technology of the times. We do not congregate in the public square. If we did the person on the proverbial, literal soapbox would more than likely be arrested for disturbing the peace.

We have been divided by diversity and politically corrected and today we have become a society afraid of our own shadow. We tremble in fear of offending someone and paying the price for such an offense. We are made to feel like outcasts for expressing our dissent with an ever-creeping government as it squeezes our individuality with the long, boney fingers of collectivism.

For decades America had been subjected to a one sided barrage of political thinking designed to encourage socialism and a collective thought process brought about by elitists who know what is best for the little, common folk. These same elitists would never think of living by the rules they project on society. This ideology was projected on the public through the print media, Hollywood and television. It has steadily infiltrated our educational system. There was no escaping the constant barrage until the talk radio appeared on the scene.

In 1985 the Federal Communications Commission issued its 'Fairness Report', which basically stated that, the doctrine, which had been in place since the late 1940's, was no longer providing a level playing field as originally intended, but may be actually stifling free speech.

Talk radio was born and fast became America's new soapbox.

The elitists sought to choke it out in early 1987 when both houses of Congress voted to put the “Fairness Doctrine” into law. Luckily for proponents of free speech, President Reagan was in a deregulatory mood and sought to stop government from molesting businesses and individual freedom and he vetoed the legislation. Congress did not, at the time, have enough votes to override the veto.

Talk radio has given average Americans the opportunity to express their opinions and provided a platform for free and open debate, not suffocated by government regulation and interference. The obvious overwhelming number of conservatives that have flocked to talk radio to find their voice and the rather obnoxious whining from the very vocal left of how unfair it is has ensured the population that the core principles of individual freedom and liberty that founded America are still alive and well.

The left cannot compete in the realm of ideas when the discussion expands and explores beyond the world of the three second sound byte. This has been proven by vain attempts to launch Air America. If every train of thought ends with “its for the children” or “its Bush's fault” or even “its not my fault” the conversation gets stale real fast.

Since talk radio is primarily conservative and the left has a hard time coming up with logical, rational arguments to defend its political position it has only one choice and that is to bring the hammer of Big Brother Government to try and restrain the freedom of speech of Americans.

Congress is concerned that talk radio is running America. Perhaps they had better pay close attention to who is supposed to be doing the serving because apparently from the self serving attitude of some its members there seems to be some confusion on this matter. Maybe they ought to realize the train is leaving without them and they are becoming obstructionist in the affairs of free men.

It looks like the time is fast approaching when another attempt to harness and control the speech of Americans will be upon us. Let us hope that Congress will realize that this is a government by, for and of the people and that they can be replaced.

Maybe in turbulent times it is better for disgruntled opinions to be spoken freely on the airwaves and that the pulse of the people can be monitored by tuning into talk radio. If the pressure release valve that is talk radio is taken away the talk will not stop. It will take another route. The alternative to being able to freely express oneself is that talk of freedom will go underground and that could be a dangerous playground indeed.

Email Tom