Free Byte: Roseanne And The Hypocrisy of the First Amendment

Welcome to BETHEA'S BYTE: FREE BYTE.  In this edition,  we tackle one of the most controversial pieces of the United States Constitution... you know, that one historic document that our current President swore on the Holy Bible that he would -- to the best of his ability -- preserve, protect and defend.  For those who missed what was written way back when, here it is.  I give you The First Article of Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

The First Article of Amendment to the Constitution of the United States wrote:Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Remember this as we go along here, ladies and gentlemen.  First, I'm gonna talk to NFL Football fans, like myself in the case of the First Amendment.

Just recently, the National Football League laid out a new policy that makes it almost mandatory for ALL players to stand during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner", our national anthem.  In that policy, the players also have an out.  Players who are protesting are allowed to stay in the locker room during the playing of the anthem, but THEY CANNOT KNEEL!  If the player or players who do kneel, they will be subjected to fines leveled by The League office.

Now this is coming off of the heels of President Donald Trump saying this last year:  

Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States wrote:Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say 'get that son of a b**** off the field right now - he's fired.  HE'S FIRED!"

Now, Trump has doubled down on this stance by saying this:  

Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States wrote:You have to stand proudly for the national anthem or you shouldn’t be playing, you shouldn’t be there. Maybe you shouldn’t be in the country. You have to stand proudly for the national anthem

In other words, if you're protesting, your First Amendment right are DENIED!  So, "shut up and play football."  Let's just say Trump supporters are in total agreement with this.

Today, Roseanne Barr, showed her ugly side (on Twitter no less) and paid for it.  She let out a racist tweet besmirching former Barack Obama aide, Valerie Jarrett.  Roseanne tweeted the following:

Roseanne Barr via Twitter @TheRealRoseanne wrote:Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj

With that tweet, and a few hours, ABC Network executives made this announcement:

Channing Dungey, ABC Network Executive wrote:Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show

On the one side, I feel bad for the following people:

• John Goodman
  
• Laurie Metcalf
  
• Sara Gilbert
  
• Lecy Goranson
  
• Michael Fishman
  
• Emma Kenney
  
• Ames McNamara
  
• Jayden Rey
  

On the other hand, I commend Channing Dungey for stepping up and standing up for what's right and decent.  And in this case, racism has no place and Disney/ABC.  Now that's how I and a lot of other people feel, but if I were a betting man, I'd bet TRIPLE or NOTHING that Trump supporters would be (if they are not there already) up in arms about firing Roseanne and cancelling her show is infringing on her First Amendment rights.

HOLD UP!  WAIT JUST A MINUTE!  Weren't you the same Trumpettes cheering your fearless leader for standing behind the idea of infringing on the First Amendment rights of those protesting injustice, but it's not OK to shut down Roseanne for a racist tweet?

HELLO!!! YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS!

The hypocrisy knows no end.  Everything wrong is right, everything right is wrong, every fact about Trump is fake news when it's negative.  Gimme a break here.  It's time to return to some semblance of decency, and the only light I see at the end of this very dark tunnel will come on January 20, 2021, Inauguration Day when America will swear in the 46th President of the United States, but that will only begin on Election Day, November 2020, when the UNITED States of America stands up and tells Donald Trump the same thing he has told many contestants on his show, "The Apprentice", YOU'RE FIRED!

Just Saying.