Regulation, Regulation, Regulation

Originally posted Sept. 14, 2005

A federal judge in S.F. just ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional. The words "under God" are once again making it an issue.

Don't get me wrong, I understand the transgression of "separation of church and state," and nonreligious people wanting to excise a reference to God. But what we're talking about here is the government's desire to over-regulate everything in our lives, and the need people feel to be so damn PC. Do we really need to get all hot and bothered about everything in our lives?? (Pee on the toilet seat doesn't count. C'mon people, that's just common sense.)

I was listening to Howard Stern this morning, as I do every day on the way to work, and he was interviewing Bubba the Love Sponge. Bubba used to be one of Howard's competitors and talked all kinds of crap about him, but then got fired by Clear Channel a day before they fired Howard. (Thus inspiring the move to Sirius satellite.) Instead of kicking a man while he's down, Howard made amends with Bubba and offered him his own show on the Sirius channel. Why? Because Bubba had a following, and what the government (FCC) and Clear Channel are doing is wrong. Howard is taking someone who had a following and setting him up somewhere where regulation can't wind its greedy tentacles around it and squeeze out the lifeblood.

In doing this, listeners will want to follow the talent. They'll buy Sirius radios and help to put a big dent in Clear Channel advertising dollars. Fewer listeners means less ratings, and less ratings means less revenue. What Howard is doing is -- I believe -- going to hurt Clear Channel in a big way. Do you know how many listeners that guy has?

Anyway, back to government regulation. It's along the same lines. Why does the FCC want to shut Howard down? Because they don't agree with his material. They don't agree with what he says, how he says it or who he says it to. So instead of looking at the fact that he has millions of listeners because said listeners actually like his show, they come down on it because they don't know any other way of controlling something they can't control. Therefore, squash it.

PC fanatics and the government want to stick their fingers in the Pledge of Allegiance pie because instead of preserving something that has been the foundation of our country -- regardless of the wording -- they want to mold it to their beliefs, values and more importantly, their desires. Who are we to mess with something like the Pledge of Allegiance? Why don't we reword the Bill of Rights and the Constitution while we're at it?? Hey, let's tinker with the Ten Commandments too, just to stir things up.

Like I said, I understand atheists and other nonreligious people not wanting to utter the words "under God." Perhaps, instead of changing something that is practically an institution in our country, those people could just not say those words? Why don't we offer a choice? Instead of going through a lengthy process that takes legal attention away from more important things, just tell people they can choose to say the words or not. People probably won't agree with me, but hey, compromise is always a fair way to settle a problem...no?

What it all comes down to is that we, as a country, are far too focused on micromanaging every single little pickin' thing in our lives. It's no wonder we're ninth among developed countries in education. It's no wonder other countries see us as brutes wielding a big club that says "foreign policy" on it. And it's no wonder that people are starting to talk about the fact that we probably won't be the No. 1 world power forever. We're concentrating too much on the minutiae of everything instead of evaluating the big pictures and anticipating the future.

I say, just leave the Pledge alone. Offer the option of saying the words or not saying the words. Stop regulating media that people like under the guise of that "it's doing everyone a favor." Instead of brute force, use logic. Don't assume everyone likes or wants what you like or want. Respect the fact that everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if it differs with yours. And for Pete's sake, let us live a free life in a "free" country!