Here is some additional information on the post Mrs. CP made earlier this afternoon about Doug Gibbs. Let me start by giving you some links. Here is the link to the post on his blog: Probably My Last Post;
And below is article that Mrs. CP posted, only the author has "cleaned" it up a little if you compare the two. Following the article are the comments up to the time that I made this post.
Finally here is the link to the Andrea Shea-King show to listen to Doug tell the story: www.blogtalkradio.com/ASKShow .
A BlogTalkRadio show host could be facing a legal crisis. While we’re all about free speech, and BTR hosts can pretty much talk about everything, sometimes a host goes a little too far in the eyes of listeners, readers or activist groups.
You see, Doug Gibbs, host ofPolitical Pistachio, didn’t pull any punches on his blog and radio showwhen offering his views regarding gay marriage. Some felt the language was harsh and people took offense. As a result Doug pulled his show from the air and ceased blogging because he’s afraid of legal action.
Doug now admits to a knee jerk reaction by pulling his show, and despite threats of legal action, is ready to talk about what is happening. Tonight he will be a guest on the Andrea Shea King show at 9:00 p.m. EST to discuss why he went dark, why he is receiving legal threats and whether or not he will return to the airwaves.
Whether you agree with Doug’s views or not, there’s a lot more to this than a right wing point of view. What can we say on the air on our own radio shows and on our blogs without being threatened with legal action? Will this lead to another Code of Conduct debate?
It’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out.
This entry was posted on June 23, 2008 at 9:50 am and is filed underPolitics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Posts
June 23, 2008 at 11:09 am
Wow…I’m definitely going to be there so I can be a part of history.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mrchapmorningshow
June 23, 2008 at 12:18 pm
While I don’t agree with some of his views, (I tend to be more moderate myself) I do think that we are entitled to our opinion no matter what it is. What is free speech if we don’t actually exercise that right?
I think it is going to be an interesting debate, for bloggers, and people who comment on blogs. I think that while comments debating the issues of the day are good, but threats and overall “being a troll” is crossing the line.
When outspoken people run, trolls and haters win. I think everyone should have their say no matter what your views are.
Just my .02
Welcome back Doug.
June 23, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Why isn’t there an author’s name attached to this post?
June 23, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Who wrote this?
Did you think to talk to Doug to maybe get the facts straight?
Shame on you BTR Blogger.
June 23, 2008 at 2:56 pm
While I do agree with most of what Doug says ie 99.9%.
I’m tired of censorship garbage, people getting in a huff over some ones views and decides to complain, want to complain about what I said, come to me and complain to me, other wise STFU.
Welcome back Doug
June 23, 2008 at 3:03 pm
The original poster doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Doug is never harsh and was not afraid of any legal action. The poster used this opportuity to voice his own political opinions– and nothing constuctive other than the threat to free speech.
June 23, 2008 at 3:15 pm
My byline is attached to the bottom of the post. Please be advised that I presented the facts as they were presented to me.
June 23, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Deborah, The facts as presented to me and scores of others are different. I assume it is safe to say your source is not Doug. I’ll not say more till after hearing the full story this evening from the one person who is in a position to know the facts. But the language you use in this post is heavily biased against Doug. I’ve been a listener to Doug’s shows for seven months, and your characterization is too harsh in my opinion.
June 23, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Deborah, this is an unfair hit piece. Who presented these wrong facts to you?
You should have talked with Doug before writing about him or rather berating him.
Now people see you as someone who post without facts.
June 23, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I’m not sure I understand? Deborah said the Doug is being threatened with legal action and links to the blog post where Doug himself admits to the same. Deborah said his views aren’t popular, even Doug admits his opinions aren’t always popular. So were is she berating him or posting without facts?
June 23, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Melissa, Please re-read Doug’s blog post. Doug “admits” (that word is negatively connotated) nothing of the sort. Whose views are popular with everyone? Why “admit” one’s views are unpopular with some? The statement is true for all, even you. The person (Deborah) who wrote this promo piece for BTR used inflammatory language to characterize Doug as intolerant, as bigoted — SHESH! I JUST SCROLLED UP TO CHECK EXACTLY WHAT DEBORAH HAD WRITTEN AND SHE HAS CHANGED HER WORDS — SHE HAS DISAPPEARED THE EVIDENCE OF HER OWN INTOLERANCE. Well, there ‘ya go, Melissa. Think.
June 23, 2008 at 4:36 pm
And, yes, the original post with all its loaded language is posted elsewhere. Will Deborah please tell us why she changed wording with no explanation?
June 23, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Any debate on same-sex marriage is going to be offensive to somebody. Gays see it as an issue of equality and affirmation, traditional Americans see it as an attack on an institution that needs to be taken more seriously, not less. Doug spends his whole week here on BTR discussing issues like this - the problem is not Doug, it’s the immature person who threatened him for speaking his mind. This medium, BTR, will die if we don’t all have respect for free expression. Our energy should be spent protecting that freedom, not reconfiguring the code of conduct so that no one will be offended.
Let’s get our priorities straight - freedom first. Beyond that we should concentrate on how to preserve it!
June 23, 2008 at 5:02 pm
I agree with x_dhimmi, What ya going to do Deborah when your own gratuitous unfounded loaded language that was full of bull, is saved else where and you can’t back out of your own blubbering commentary. If you can’t get the facts from the source then don’t make up garbage and post it as if it did come from the source. Your whole article is nothing more than a glorified hit piece, I hope that you fare as well when someone decides to do the same to you someday. Don’t come whining to me about something that some one else wrote about you then because maybe/hopefully that you will have learned your lesson.
June 23, 2008 at 5:06 pm
@ Melissa
[quote]You see, Doug Gibbs, host of Political Pistachio, didn’t pull any punches on his blog and radio show when offering his views regarding gay marriage. Some felt the language was harsh and people took offense. As a result Doug pulled his show from the air and ceased blogging because he’s afraid of legal action.[/quote]
(Some felt) you mean the ones who came there just seeking the words they could be offended at.
(as a result Doug pulled his show from the air and ceased blogging because he’s afraid of legal action.) This is a huge assumption. And I’ll even go farther and say THOSE WORDS OF DEBORAHS ARE NOT EVEN TRUE. He has written me and told me WHY he considered stopping the show and not blogging and it had nothing to do with LEGAL ACTION.
So see Melissa that is a false assumption. Not a fact.
And why would someone be afraid of legal actions in this country.
Aren’t we all about free speech?
Aren’t we allowed our own opinions?
Aren’t people free to choose what radio show they actually have to put out effort to get to, to listen to?
Did he libel anyone? NO!
Also, I’ve gotta say, the wording in the article is a bit different than when I posted my previous comment. That should definitely be mentioned in the posted article above. Wouldn’t that be considered an ethical action?
Changing words in an article and not mentioning that fact also gives a false impression to any who read it now and then the comments left. What would you call that?
June 23, 2008 at 5:14 pm
To the author of this blog post: Please read the fine print in Doug’s original posts. He never said he received threats of legal action. He only said that he couldn’t discuss what happened for legal reasons.
June 23, 2008 at 5:24 pm
must be nice to excercise free speech on here : (
June 23, 2008 at 5:31 pm
I have known Douglas V. Gibbs for about three months. I have never heard him use harsh language against anyone. The only reason he left was because he was afraid for the safety of his family. Douglas is more than fair with anyone who calls into his show. I will be there at Andrea’s show tonight to welcome him back to the air waves.
June 23, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Same shizznet different day.
June 23, 2008 at 5:41 pm
People should be held accountable for their speech. I am a strong free speech advocate and you the First Amendment does not protect threats of bodily injury, solicitation of a crime (calling for someone to be shot), as well as other speech which can be and should be prosecuted as a crime.
I am not a professional journalist nor do I pretend to be but I have common sense to get my facts straight and the decency to issue a retraction if I am wrong. Bloggers should be held to the same standards when “reporting” on someone. For six months I was accused of saying I wanted to nuke America or wanted America to be nuked. I was attacked in chats rooms for this by people I do not even know.
Just because you are on the Internet does not mean you get say what you want without legal repercussions. I am not commenting on Doug because I do not have the facts but I hope this situation puts some people on notice. Thank you Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Micheal Savage and the like, you really have lower the standards of American political discourse.
June 23, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Interestingly, The topic of free speech has been in debate recently in the blogosphere as well. One person’s very racist comments that were used to discuss illegal immigration were latched onto by another blogger who called for the cancellation of his website.
Though I completely disagree with the method and language used to discuss Illegal immigration, I defended the free speech of the offending blogger for the simple reason that the First Amendment does not protect me or anyone else from being offended.
As bloggers like Doug, (who are amateur hosts), attempt to present their views on BTR, as long as they do not violate any laws, they should be under the protection of BTR. If the rules established by BTR exceed the law, then the BTR forum becomes restrictive and does not represent free speech. Further, If BTR sides with the few who may be offended, then BTR becomes part of the problem created by political correctness that is so pervasive in our society today and helps destroy another little piece of free speech.
June 23, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Hi there you people?
I have been reading you comments…
You see people, I am a Brazilian, writing to you from Brazil.
It is of lerge importance, how large I can´t say, that you people stand for FREEDOM OF SPEACH!
You valuate too much, the so called Minority Rigts!
And about the Majority Rights?
After the communists have taken of more than 75% of the Occidental World, and reenforced the “Politically Correct” actitudes, you Americans are every day fighting over minorities issues this, minorities issues that and else.
A question, how many Gays are there in US?
Certainlly no more than in Brazil, say 12% of the whole population?
Are this people entytled to sue anyone that dislikes them? And if so, why? If the Majoryty mostly let them leave in peace?
Stand for Freedom of Speach. The BASIC RIGHT! If you loose it Americans, it´s over, beleave-me!
June 23, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Deborah -
FYI - when using the direct link from the news feed, your name does NOT show up at the bottom of the post - odd, but true.
FYI - when you change a post drastically as you did this one, you should at least mention it is revised, rewritten, and the hatefulness removed. It is only ethical to do so.
June 23, 2008 at 7:03 pm
I do apologize to anyone who was offended by my post as that wasn’t my intention.
Regardless of how you feel about me however,, you must know that BlogTalkRadio is always on the side of free speech