Politics and religion.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Come on ES. You are smarter than this. You MUST know the difference between being in a position of authority and giving an order and political opinion speech?

....

But anyway... No answer to my question? Would you support LAW making opinion pundits somehow legally culpable for actions of their listeners?

I thought this topic would make for interesting cocktail party conversation. And so I brought it up at a party.

I was asked this question....if people are not responsible for the actions their words incite people to...why is Charles Manson in prison? He did not kill anyone - he incited and encouraged others to do so.

I think most of us would agree that prison is the place Manson belongs - at best. He was not a "person in a position of authority" (of course, neither was Hilter for most of his hideous career. And still people followed his words and engaged in heinous acts.)

So the next question became...if a "pundit" is not responsible for the actions of their listeners by virtue of being a "pundit"...can you call yourself a "pundit" and therefore escape responsibility?

So I remain convinced - people should be responsible for the words they speak as much as for the actions they do.

Doesn't mean they can't speak -- just means they have to be responsible.