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Should Public Figures

Discussion in '2008 Archive' started by Martin, Jan 22, 2007.

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Should public figures be held accountable for things they say on their tv programs?

  1. Yes

    13 vote(s)
    76.5%

  2. No

    3 vote(s)
    17.6%

  3. I don't know.

    1 vote(s)
    5.9%
Top Posters
  1. Martin

    Martin Active Member

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    Should public figures, such as Bill OReilly, be held accountable for things they say on their tv programs?
     
    #1 Martin, Jan 22, 2007
  2. Brice

    Brice New Member

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    Depends on what you mean by accountable. Can you define what you mean for us?
     
    #2 Brice, Jan 22, 2007
  3. Martin

    Martin Active Member

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    Accountable in general. To their employer, their viewers/listeners, the general public, law enforcement, etc. In other words if they say something incorrect, stupid, or immoral should they be held accountable? I am not just talking about someone like Bill OReilly either. I am talking about Rosie ODonnell, I am talking about Donald Trump, I am talking about Rush Limbaugh, I am talking John Gibson, really anyone.

    This is not a freedom of speech issue, btw, because I am not asking about government censorship.
     
    #3 Martin, Jan 22, 2007
  4. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    I think they should be held accountable... especially by the viewers...
    When viewers stop paying attention to idiots, their ratings go down, and they are off the air.... That IS accountability.
     
    #4 tinytim, Jan 22, 2007
  5. Brice

    Brice New Member

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    Thanks. I would error on Tiny Tim's side. In a society that has it's base in capitalism the best form of accountability is to not support or watch the offender. So yes they should be.
     
    #5 Brice, Jan 22, 2007
  6. Martin

    Martin Active Member

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    But are they? I think that is the "real" question and probably the one I should have asked.

    Do public figures who make stupid statements suffer in their ratings (etc)? I see little evidence to think they really do. I mean think about the comments made by Rush Limbaugh about Michael J Fox, or Bill OReilly's recent comments about Shawn Hornbeck. There seems to be some level of public outrage but their shows go on seemingly unaffected.

    I think we, as the public, need to start turning the channel/dial and forcing these loud mouth clowns off the air. I don't listen to Rush anymore (after his drug issues) and I will never listen to or watch OReilly again. I stopped listening to Spencer Hughes (FOX Radio) after he suggested that the government should give all Florida residents a gun so they can shoot all the alligators. I don't listen to, or watch, John Gibson or Michael Savage either. They are just to extreme for me. I wish other people would start doing the same thing. Then maybe we could start getting real news with responsible commentary.
     
    #6 Martin, Jan 22, 2007
  7. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    If you want them accountable, stop watching them. By continuing to watch you give your approval. Otherwise it's called freedom of speech.
     
    #7 donnA, Jan 22, 2007
  8. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

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    Amen to that. If you mean a criminal penalty, no. Anyone who not only listens but puts stock in what these motor mouths say, only the individual listening is to blame.
     
    #8 saturneptune, Jan 22, 2007
  9. Brice

    Brice New Member

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    Martin,

    I don't think they are accountable. I think for one reason or another, people just don't care enough to abstain. In some cases these people bring valuable insights, but many times they are out of control.
     
    #9 Brice, Jan 22, 2007
  10. Martin

    Martin Active Member

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    I agree with this observation 100%. :thumbs:
     
    #10 Martin, Jan 23, 2007
  11. carpro

    carpro Well-Known Member
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    The best kind.:thumbs:
     
    #11 carpro, Jan 23, 2007
  12. hillclimber1

    hillclimber1 Active Member
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    How about politicians?
     
    #12 hillclimber1, Jan 23, 2007
  13. av1611jim

    av1611jim New Member

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    The OP question is obviously from a christian perspective and i doubt if any Christian would advocate unaccountability for anyone regardless of who they are.
    But the problem the OP addresses isn't going to go away just because a few Christians abstain from listening and/or supporting said verbal offenders. What would have to happen in order to obtain the kind of reasonable reporting and commentary is for the majority of the american public to become born again. It ain't a-gonna happen.
    What the REAL question I hear being asked is...................
    WHEN IS JESUS COMING BACK SO WE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN THIS SIN CURSED WORLD ANYMORE??????

    That's the REAL question isn't it?
     
    #13 av1611jim, Jan 23, 2007
  14. Brice

    Brice New Member

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    Hey 100% agreement is tough to come by in Baptist circles so I’ll take it. :thumbsup: :laugh:
    I thought more about this subject today and I came to a minor conclusion. I think peoples brains are turned off. This isn’t mean to be offensive, but we have a lot going. We’ve lost all of our objective and analytical abilities because we use them in so many ways throughout the day. On the other hand, maybe we're just plain lazy. :smilewinkgrin:
     
    #14 Brice, Jan 24, 2007
  15. hillclimber1

    hillclimber1 Active Member
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    We know that the twist the liberal media puts on news stories is a form of lying, and tuners in and readers are definitely not leaving is sufficient numbers to change it because as a group, they believe them.

    So the obvious answer is yes, they should be held accountable, but they won't/can't be. They are under first amendment protections and some delusional idea that their viewpoints (not necessarily facts) are somehow very important.
     
    #15 hillclimber1, Jan 24, 2007
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