Pinthouse Pizza
No Hope for Black
RECEIVED Mon., Nov. 13, 2006
Dear Editor,
Re: "The Time of the Toad" [“Page Two,” Nov. 3]: If Louis Black, at this late date, can't distinguish between a government deliberately destroying the careers of people who speak out against it vs. an audience choosing not to buy an artist's CDs or concert tickets because they disagree with the artist's statements – or even because a voice on a radio tells them not to – there's probably no hope for him. I do hope, however, that the great majority of Chronicle readers do know the difference because the continued existence of the American essences of free speech and free markets depends on it.
Re: "The Time of the Toad" [“Page Two,” Nov. 3]: If Louis Black, at this late date, can't distinguish between a government deliberately destroying the careers of people who speak out against it vs. an audience choosing not to buy an artist's CDs or concert tickets because they disagree with the artist's statements – or even because a voice on a radio tells them not to – there's probably no hope for him. I do hope, however, that the great majority of Chronicle readers do know the difference because the continued existence of the American essences of free speech and free markets depends on it.
Sincerely,
Alan McKendree
Alan McKendree
[Louis Black responds: Okay, so I'm a little surprised at some of these responses. As I made clear in the column, my concern with free speech is not based on the Bill of Rights. I am speaking out in that column. I do not and would not suggest censuring anyone or denying their right to say, buy, do,and/or think what they want, even if I find it odious. But, as an act of intellectual engagement and dissent, shouldn't I be allowed to disagree, even violently disagree, with public dialogue? I would think there would be some awareness and annoyance at the amount of media manipulation involved here. The situation was hyped up by C&W radio stations and really exploited by talk radio, where it was brought up day after day after day by the hosts. Was this really such a burning issue that it justified this coverage, or was it just pandering, using the Dixie Chicks as a convenient target of hostility and attacks? Criticism is not censorship, expressing concerns is not demanding legislation, and disagreeing with people is not telling them to shut up. I am just asking people to think, and if they do, whether they disagree with me or not, that's all and the best for which I hope.]