Until now, I saw most of the left’s suppression of free speech as somewhat ominous, but always happening to others. Now, however, they have cancelled “Last Man Standing.” Now it’s personal.
You may think this is silly. Certainly, this is not the first time the networks have axed a favorite TV show of mine.
But in “Last Man Standing,” Tim Allen plays the part of an intelligent, successful, marketer for a large outdoor store. Allen’s character, Mike Baxter, is happily married, and a wise and loving father who offers realistic and generally conservative advice to his family, friends and on his weekly blog. In short, he is a non-idiot, likable, conservative white guy.
How unusual is that on a modern TV comedy?
Allen was shocked, as were many of his fans. He tweeted, “Stunned and blindsided by the network I called home for the last six years.”
How does this happen? “Last Man Standing” was the second most watched comedy on the network – only trailing slightly behind “Modern Family.”
Then, in a later interview, Allen said aloud what we all thinking, “…there’s nothing more dangerous, especially in this climate, than a funny likeable conservative.”
“It was a scheduling decision,” network executives told Fox News. But I wondered, would a work-around been found if the show was “Last Woman Standing” about a single minority Mom?
Rumor has it that the scheduling problem centered around making room for a new show called “Sanctuary Family,” a sitcom about a family of illegal aliens. No politics there…right!
One analyst writing for Snopes (a fact checking site) offered a slew of reasons (other than politics) why the show was cancelled. Besides, he wrote, the network might be reviving “Roseanne,” “another Trump supporter,” as if that evened the scorecard.
Two problems. First, Tim Allen was never a Trump fan. Second, how is replacing a smart likable conservative with Roseanne, one of the most annoying people on the planet – but who happens to like Trump, be considered an even trade?
Here’s the real problem.
While I can live without my weekly dose of “Last Man Standing” – and “Sanctuary Families,” may turn out to be worth watching. I still worry that one small increment at a time, the conservative voice is being pushed to the side of mainstream society where only kooks like Roseanne Barr and losers (Roseanne again) dwell.
There have always been those who want to silence those they disagree with. Even today, according to a recent Pew poll, 40 percent of millennials favor a government ban on speech offensive to minority groups. It’s a battle we fight every generation.
Thankfully, the U.S. Constitution and the Supreme Court do a good job protecting free speech from government control. Ever since Brandenburg v. Ohio, 1969, we have understood that unless speech is “directed at inciting or producing imminent lawless action, and, is “likely to incite or produce such action,” the government must remain hands off.
These government protections, however, do not protect us from Hollywood, which can still cancel conservative shows. The NFL can still allow its players to disrespect the nation, and colleges can still allow violent intimidation to filter out conservative speakers.
But only if we let them.
The good news is that under those same rules people can choose what TV to watch. We can stick with college football and ignore the NFL, and we can send our kids to schools where the freedom to hear both sides of an argument is cherished and protected.
Because the left is finding it harder and harder to win political arguments based on the merits, they have turned to silencing their opponents through intimidation. As conservatives, we need to stay in the fight (rhetorically speaking).
I will not be watching the NFL this year (unless the Seahawks make it to the Super Bowl) because I know that football players have no Constitutional right to bash my Country while on the job representing the NFL.
If I give “Sanctuary Family” a shot, they had better be a dang good show if they expect to have me watch a second episode. And I will still complain to the network about cancelling “Last Man Standing.” Over 400,000 (including me) have already signed a petition on Change.org. Check it out.
Finally, I will not stop writing about freedom of speech on campus, or stop digging out and exposing administrations, that through intimidation or trickery, try to silence the student’s voice.
So beware all you liberals – I am taking this personal.
Punchbowl Shelter
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The Founders Tavern 
The Last Man Standing – no longer
Posted in Political Commentary, tagged conservative, freedom of speech, tim allen on October 6, 2017| 2 Comments »
You may think this is silly. Certainly, this is not the first time the networks have axed a favorite TV show of mine.
But in “Last Man Standing,” Tim Allen plays the part of an intelligent, successful, marketer for a large outdoor store. Allen’s character, Mike Baxter, is happily married, and a wise and loving father who offers realistic and generally conservative advice to his family, friends and on his weekly blog. In short, he is a non-idiot, likable, conservative white guy.
How unusual is that on a modern TV comedy?
Allen was shocked, as were many of his fans. He tweeted, “Stunned and blindsided by the network I called home for the last six years.”
How does this happen? “Last Man Standing” was the second most watched comedy on the network – only trailing slightly behind “Modern Family.”
Then, in a later interview, Allen said aloud what we all thinking, “…there’s nothing more dangerous, especially in this climate, than a funny likeable conservative.”
“It was a scheduling decision,” network executives told Fox News. But I wondered, would a work-around been found if the show was “Last Woman Standing” about a single minority Mom?
Rumor has it that the scheduling problem centered around making room for a new show called “Sanctuary Family,” a sitcom about a family of illegal aliens. No politics there…right!
One analyst writing for Snopes (a fact checking site) offered a slew of reasons (other than politics) why the show was cancelled. Besides, he wrote, the network might be reviving “Roseanne,” “another Trump supporter,” as if that evened the scorecard.
Two problems. First, Tim Allen was never a Trump fan. Second, how is replacing a smart likable conservative with Roseanne, one of the most annoying people on the planet – but who happens to like Trump, be considered an even trade?
Here’s the real problem.
While I can live without my weekly dose of “Last Man Standing” – and “Sanctuary Families,” may turn out to be worth watching. I still worry that one small increment at a time, the conservative voice is being pushed to the side of mainstream society where only kooks like Roseanne Barr and losers (Roseanne again) dwell.
There have always been those who want to silence those they disagree with. Even today, according to a recent Pew poll, 40 percent of millennials favor a government ban on speech offensive to minority groups. It’s a battle we fight every generation.
Thankfully, the U.S. Constitution and the Supreme Court do a good job protecting free speech from government control. Ever since Brandenburg v. Ohio, 1969, we have understood that unless speech is “directed at inciting or producing imminent lawless action, and, is “likely to incite or produce such action,” the government must remain hands off.
These government protections, however, do not protect us from Hollywood, which can still cancel conservative shows. The NFL can still allow its players to disrespect the nation, and colleges can still allow violent intimidation to filter out conservative speakers.
But only if we let them.
The good news is that under those same rules people can choose what TV to watch. We can stick with college football and ignore the NFL, and we can send our kids to schools where the freedom to hear both sides of an argument is cherished and protected.
Because the left is finding it harder and harder to win political arguments based on the merits, they have turned to silencing their opponents through intimidation. As conservatives, we need to stay in the fight (rhetorically speaking).
I will not be watching the NFL this year (unless the Seahawks make it to the Super Bowl) because I know that football players have no Constitutional right to bash my Country while on the job representing the NFL.
If I give “Sanctuary Family” a shot, they had better be a dang good show if they expect to have me watch a second episode. And I will still complain to the network about cancelling “Last Man Standing.” Over 400,000 (including me) have already signed a petition on Change.org. Check it out.
Finally, I will not stop writing about freedom of speech on campus, or stop digging out and exposing administrations, that through intimidation or trickery, try to silence the student’s voice.
So beware all you liberals – I am taking this personal.
Punchbowl Shelter
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