Posted by
Shogrensus on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 12:41:41 AM
April 10, 2007
Rosie's back and has immediately demonstrated her lack of knowledge about our Constitution.
The women started the show with more talk on the Imus debacle and what consequences he should face for his racist comments.
Rosie: Heres the thing: There's free speech in America and you can say anything that you want in this country and to think that you can be penalized for it by a corporation
A quick lesson about the Bill of Rights: The Founders were concerned that the newly formed government, like virtually all governments, would progress towards tyranny if left unchecked. To safeguard the individual citizens against this possibility they adopted the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights protects the citizens from the government.
Freedom of speech is a right guaranteed in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Congress shall make no law does not mean that a corporation can have no rules.
Despite Rosies fear to the contrary, in an Imus type situation it is the corporation who must penalize the employee. The corporation has a fiduciary duty to its shareholders to ensure that employee behavior doesnt negatively impact the profits and therefore shareholder dividends.
If an employee like Imus offends consumers, i.e. listeners, they may tune out. A corporation must be responsive to the public reaction to its employees and take whatever action necessary to protect its business interests. If suspending Imus meets those demands then the corporation should suspend him. If a two week suspension doesnt quell the community ire than the corporation may need to take additional action.
Again, corporations must make decisions about the punishment an employee may face for exhibiting inappropriate behavior or speech that violates the norms of societal decency.
For information about the history of the Constitution and Bill of Rights please visit the following link:
http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution_history.html
To read the Bill of Rights visit the following link:
http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html