I hope you weren't too attached to free speech. Ever since Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction," the political correctness crusaders — both of the federal and private variety — are launching a new assault.

Last week, Clear Channel suspended Howard Stern. Stern isn't advocating violence, rioting or really much of anything (certainly nothing that warrants blanket censorship). Yet Clear Channel president John Hogan said Stern was "vulgar, offensive and insulting." This vague analysis was enough to suspend Stern. This is especially disheartening to those who value the educational elements of Stern's show, like SAT questions for porn stars.

I recognize Clear Channel's right to air what they want. But Clear Channel is under intense pressure from the FCC to "clean up" the airwaves. Stern's suspension wasn't a normal business decision by Clear Channel. It was a concession to the government's political correctness police that was obtained under threat.

Further examples abound. The Grammy's were put on a five-minute broadcast delay. This wasn't a governmental requirement, but the threat was clear: Big Brother would be watching the Grammy's, and not just to see Outkast. Also, the FCC hinted that when "ER" treats patients, there had better be nothing more than a blur under their hospital gowns — or else.

It's not just government. It's private groups, too. The Anti-Defamation League is harassing Mel Gibson because of "The Passion of the Christ." People who had never seen Gibson's spellbinding triumph of a film spent months decrying him as anti-Semitic. His film expresses religious views that are perceived by some as politically incorrect, so he was subjected to a media campaign against his character. This is despicable. If you don't like Bible stories, don't see this movie. But leave the man alone; he liberated Scotland for God's sake!

What's going on here? If people cross the line (e.g. shouting "fire" in a theater), they can be dealt with accordingly. However, governmental and private political correctness groups are making unnecessary moves against free speech. Where will this end? If we can't see Stern, the Grammy's, "ER" or Gibson, maybe we shouldn't be exposed to certain political views, either. I hate slippery slope arguments, but it wouldn't be the first time people were manipulated under the guise of protecting decency.

Nowadays, many people don't want to hear what they don't want to hear. They love free speech — until they hear something they don't like. They don't realize that free speech goes both ways. Free speech can be used to fortify illusory political correctness, but it can also be used to say other things.

This is a huge issue. Many people have examples from their own lives of when they were attacked because of supposed political incorrectness. We are all affected by it. No matter who we are (celebrities or not), no matter how hard we try, eventually we will run afoul of someone else's definition of political correctness. My only question is: Where will you be when the political correctness police run wild over you?