Torn between two lovers (of their own opinions)

Frankly I don’t know what to make of this…

“Comments by Jemele Hill of ESPN a ‘Fireable Offense,’ White House Says.”

According to the story in today’s New York Times,

Hill, who co-hosts the 6 p.m. “SportsCenter” program, called President Trump a white supremacist on Twitter on Monday, adding: “Trump is the most ignorant, offensive president of my lifetime. His rise is a direct result of white supremacy. Period.”

It didn’t take long for the White House to complain about the attack on Trump’s good name.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, said the comments were a “fireable offense.”

“I think that’s one of the more outrageous comments that anyone can make,” Sanders said Wednesday during a press briefing, “and certainly something that I think is a fireable offense by ESPN.”

First of all, shut up, SHS. Unless the White House owns ESPN or you’re picking up a few extra bucks moonlighting there, you don’t know what their policy is about fireable offenses.

Now, those of you who have followed my humble posts here and elsewhere know I have no love for Trump and his misanthropic minions. But does one have the obligation to be totally fair or just when it comes to supporting their particular point of view? Devil’s advocate time. Curt Schilling — the former pitcher and ESPN baseball analyst — was fired last year for comments he posted on Facebook regarding a North Carolina law that barred transgender people from using bathrooms and locker rooms that do not correspond with their birth genders, according to the Times‘ story posted April 16. This was just one of his unenightened musings (See? There I go again, being a snowflake.)

Those who profess a love of free speech balance on a razor’s edge when it comes to what is acceptable and what isn’t. I don’t remember if Schilling’s post came from his private account or one under the aegis of his employer. Either way, should someone lose a job for expressing an opinion? Political pundits do it all the time (see any of the cable news channels for examples), but that is in their job description; that might not be in the case for folks like Schilling and Hill, although according to today’s article, “The network has reoriented its programming more toward opinion and debate, encouraging some hosts to veer away from sports. Hill’s “SportsCenter” often mixes sports with social and cultural topics.”

Both ESPN and Hill issued statements that her remarks were totally her own and did not represent those of the network. ” Hill posted on Twitter:

Naturally, a friendly discussion ensued.

I’m still conflicted and confused: Is there any “free speech” right/consensus/etc. which makes it acceptable for groups like the KKK and neo-Nazis to spew their bile? (I don’t know how the ACLU does their work at times). On the surface, it seems not. But where does it stop when it comes to censuring — and censoring — thoughts with which you might disagree? If ESPN could fire Schilling, why not Hill?

Thoughts?