Tommy Smothers and the Right to Hear

[Robert Sheridan]

During the height of the Vietnam War, in 1968, the year of the police  
riot at the Democratic Convention in Chicago, at the beginning of the  
Nixon Era of right wing repression (sorry guys), CBS pulled the  
Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour off the air, for good, before its fourth  
year could begin.

Forty years later Tommy receives his Emmy and gives a thank you  
statement which includes:

"Freedom of expression and freedom of speech aren't really important,"  
he told the audience, "unless they're heard. The freedom of hearing is  
as important as the freedom of speaking. It's hard for me to stay  
silent when I keep hearing that peace is only attainable through war.  
There's nothing more scary than watching ignorance in action. So I  
dedicate this Emmy to all people who feel compelled to speak out, not  
afraid to speak to power, won't shut up and refuse to be silent."

He also points out that you don't need government to repress speech  
when you have media conglomerates to do it for you.

At any rate, the closing of the show has remained a lesson in First  
Amendment undermining all these years.

You can ask who is a greater exponent of FA values, a teacher, or  
practitioners, like Tommy and Dick.

Today's S.F. Chronicle (at sfgate.com) features two articles and other  
references to the Smothers Brothers.

Here's the link to the lead article which will lead, as well, to the  
others:

http://tinyurl.com/6l2cqa

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