Prominent media personalities on both sides of the Atlantic are in trouble
for recent comments made about Islamic countries. Is freedom of speech threatened?
by Melvin Rhodes
Robert Kilroy-Silk is Britain's answer to Oprah Winfrey. Or perhaps
I should say was, as Mr. Kilroy-Silk has fallen victim to "political
correctness" (PC).
His often controversial daytime talk show weathered every storm until the
one that broke in early January with the publication of an article Mr. Kilroy-Silk
wrote for the British Sunday Express. In it, he made some blunt statements
about human rights in Arab countries.
Nothing he said was untrue—but that's not the point. PC says
otherwise and PC rules.
The BBC quickly suspended Mr. Kilroy-Silk's television program. Shortly
afterwards he resigned. He should have no problem writing columns for the
foreseeable future as many people agree with him, although the noose around
freedom of expression is ever tightening.
Sir Bernard Ingham, a former press secretary at Number 10 Downing Street,
the official residence of British prime ministers, wrote an article for the
same Sunday Express one week later with the title, "How Political
Correctness Has Robbed Us of Our Nation." Among other things, Sir Bernard
points out that the same BBC that is so sensitive to criticism of Islam and
Islamic countries does not allow correspondents to mention the sexual orientation
and practices of British Cabinet members, even when these may be of relevance
to voters.
The words of the prophet Isaiah come to mind: "Woe to those who call
evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness"
(Isaiah 5:20). What used to be considered good is now described as evil and
vice versa.
Robert Kilroy-Silk is a household name in Great Britain, just as Paul Harvey
is in the United States. But now Mr. Harvey, too, has fallen victim to PC—at
the age of 84, and essentially over the same issue.
