• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Hank Williams Jr., 1st Amendment Rights?

Hank Williams Jr.'s 1st Amendment Rights were they violated or infringed upon?


  • Total voters
    59
I read on here and some other places that people think that Hanks/1st amendment rights were violated or infringed upon in some what.

DO you think this is true?

I do not and cannot see how the correlation is made?

ESPN pulls Monday Night Football intro - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN

I didn't know the first amendment right to free speech meant you could use a borporation station's paid-for air time to say whatever you want.

They didn't gag him and shut him up - they just didn't air it. . . he can talk all he wants. **** - I talk all I want even when no one's around to hear it.

It's football - a game - not politics and since he tried ot make it into a political springboard I'm glad they shut him up. Everything has a time and place and that was just highly inappropriate and if I was a sports fan I'd find it annoying as hell.
 
Last edited:
I like Hank Williams, Jr music and when all this blew up I supported him as he has been a very charitable individual.

But like the Dixie Chicks, why oh why would you want to possibly offend half of the possible audience members?

It would be like a Target or Sears store putting up political posters and possibly losing half of your audience. They just don't due it because it is ran by a board and thus have many safety stops. Celebs are soley in charge of their own mouths and every so often the filter is off. Just ask Michael "Kramer" Richards how his career is going.
 
Sorry I am late to this party, but at no time was Hank Williams Jr's first amendment rights infringed upon in anyway. He was not silenced nor was he told he has no right to his position or opinion. All that happened is ABC decided not to associate itself with Hank William Jr's opinion. Even if Hank Williams Jr, by contract, agreed to some sort of clause that says such statements are grounds for ending the relationship, that is still not any party invading Hank Williams Jr's rights. Hank Williams was a willing participant in his business affairs and just like any right, it comes with responsibilities. Hank Williams Jr. has every right to speak his mind but is also responsible for what he says, ABC has every right to distance themselves from his position. Until someone can point out how Hank Williams Jr. had his rights taken from him against his will, we have little to discuss here.

Edit... ABC, ESPN, whoever made the decision.
 
Last edited:
ESPN's executives seem to be the typical lilly fingered, sunlight avoiding nerds.

God Bless Hank Jr....He speaks and keeps it real.
 
Last edited:
I personally have no problem with what Hank Jr said. Having said that, MNF has every right to pull the opening song if they choose to, just as I have the right to not watch any MNF game that doesn't open with the MNF version of "All My Rowdy Friends are Coming Over Tonight".
 
When the Dixie Chicks said somethng critical about GWB and their songs were pulled from country radio, the liberals whined about their right to say what they wanted.

Guessing those same people are pretty silent now. Wonder why that would be.
 
I personally have no problem with what Hank Jr said. Having said that, MNF has every right to pull the opening song if they choose to, just as I have the right to not watch any MNF game that doesn't open with the MNF version of "All My Rowdy Friends are Coming Over Tonight".
100% correct.
:clap:
 
100% correct. :clap:

That's what people need to do, and what I've already done.... let ESPN know that you will not be watching ANY Monday Night Football broadcast that doesn't open with that song. Period. Hit them in the pocketbook via viewership.
 
When the Dixie Chicks said somethng critical about GWB and their songs were pulled from country radio, the liberals whined about their right to say what they wanted.

Guessing those same people are pretty silent now. Wonder why that would be.

williams had every right to say whatever he wanted.
 
I only hope that the same Country/Western radio stations that boycotted the Dixie Chicks music because they said something negative about the President of the United States aren't hypocrites and boycott HW Jr. as well.....somehow I think their hypocrisy will be glaring.
 
When the Dixie Chicks said somethng critical about GWB and their songs were pulled from country radio, the liberals whined about their right to say what they wanted.

Guessing those same people are pretty silent now. Wonder why that would be.

Oh - were Hank Williams Jr's songs pulled from the radio?
 
I only hope that the same Country/Western radio stations that boycotted the Dixie Chicks music because they said something negative about the President of the United States aren't hypocrites and boycott HW Jr. as well.....somehow I think their hypocrisy will be glaring.

There's a difference. The Dixie Chicks were WRONG both in what they said and in the fact that as women they shouldn't have been commenting on politics to begin with. Hank Jr was absolutely CORRECT in what he said.
 
That's what people need to do, and what I've already done.... let ESPN know that you will not be watching ANY Monday Night Football broadcast that doesn't open with that song. Period. Hit them in the pocketbook via viewership.

Not going to happen. Nobody watches MNF to just to see the intro. The odds of ESPN losing viewers over this are slim to none.
 
Not going to happen. Nobody watches MNF to just to see the intro. The odds of ESPN losing viewers over this are slim to none.

They've lost one at least.
 
How often did you watch MNF before this?

Pretty much every week.

Just like I used to eat Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream pretty regularly until their parent company started supporting groups like The Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence. Now I won't touch the stuff, nevermind spend money on it.
 
Last edited:
I only hope that the same Country/Western radio stations that boycotted the Dixie Chicks music because they said something negative about the President of the United States aren't hypocrites and boycott HW Jr. as well.....somehow I think their hypocrisy will be glaring.
This isnt even remotely clever - as I am sure even -you- know, the issue isn't an exception to the cricism of the OFFICE.

Country radio didnt boycott TDC because they spoke poorly of the President, they boycotted them because they spoke poorly of GWB, who their audience, more often than not suppoeted -- its amazing what a station amamger will do when he gets repeated call about 'if you play any more of their music, I'll never listen to you again'.

The support for The Obama among country listeners is, quite likely and put generously, considerbly lower - so there's little to no reason for the radio stattions to change HWJR's limited rotation.

:roll:
 
Last edited:
The government penalized him for his statement?

How was his 1st Amendment rights violated? Only a govt. entity can violate someone's 1st Amendment rights.
 
Hank Jr. was absolutely right. Obama does have a lot in common with Hitler. No, he doesn't have gas chambers, but he is a power-hungry monster who is dedicated to destroying capitalism and replacing it with fascism (socialism) and tons of anti-American mandates.

Thanks, Hank, for calling a spade a spade. ESPN owes you a huge apology.

ah, nothing like Wednesday morning lies.
 
This isnt even remotely clever - as I am sure even -you- know, the issue isn't an exception to the cricism of the OFFICE.

Country radio didnt boycott TDC because they spoke poorly of the President, they boycotted them because they spoke poorly of GWB, who their audience, more often than not suppoeted -- its amazing what a station amamger will do when he gets repeated call about 'if you play any more of their music, I';; never listen to you again'.

The support for The Obama among country listeners is, quite likely and put generaously, considerbly lower - so there's little to no reason for the radio stattions to change HWJR's limited rotation.

:roll:

redneck_gun_20100526_1984409262.jpg

Did you just call me a Barack Hussain Obama lover boy?!!
 
That's what people need to do, and what I've already done.... let ESPN know that you will not be watching ANY Monday Night Football broadcast that doesn't open with that song. Period. Hit them in the pocketbook via viewership.

Unlikely....I don't think the vast majority of people turning on MNF do so to listen to HW Jr......just sayin.
 
Back
Top Bottom