Bullies

When we think of bullies, we think of the nasty kids who taunt, push and demand money from the kids without the power. We think of Scut Farkus, from A Christmas Story who relentlessly taunts Ralphie and his friends. They habitually back down.

I've been thinking about bullies this past week. Isn't a comedian who has a show and incessantly pounds at particular individuals, a kind of bully? I mean, if you say anything in response, you come across as being a poor sport who can't take a joke. If you consistently taunt the same person over and over, and hide behind the mask of "comedian", aren't you being a bully? The victim of your taunts can't fight back. Think of Tina Fey's caricatures of Sarah Palin during the campaign. Think of the late night comedians relentless pounding of her character. It would be different if they told the same number and same kind of jokes against liberals. But they don't - it isn't even close.

Letterman, in particular, has not given up smashing Bush/Cheney and Palin, even though Obama has been in office for 6 months. How is that anything other than laziness and mean-spiritedness? In his faux-apology, he implied that he shouldn't have to defend what he said because they're "just jokes". Is that an acceptable standard? Should we be able to say anything we want with impunity, as long as we call it a joke? Or does that standard only apply if you're ridiculing a conservative woman?

Don't get me wrong. It's a free country. Letterman can say whatever he wants. He just doesn't have the right to use the public airwaves to spew his hate and then get paid for it.

If this stands, if bullies can get away with mocking the statutory rape the daughter of a conservative woman, what's next?

It's time to contact CBS and its sponsors. It's time to use our dollars and our time as a weapon. It's time to fight back.*