Pick Your Battle

I got an e-mail this afternoon from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee regarding NBC's decision to suspend Keith Olbermann because of a couple campaign contributions.

The PCCC wants me to sign a petition to:

Tell them to put Keith Olbermann back on the air NOW!

No offense, guys... but please relax.

Just as I was fine with NPR firing Juan Williams, I am fine with NBC suspending Keith Olbermann. They can make their own personnel decisions as far as I'm concerned.

True, it doesn't hurt to voice one's opinion because it really can change things (Don Imus only got fired when the public outcry swelled and, quite frankly, it made the sponsors nervous about being associated with him) - so, in that sense, I understand the PCCC wanting to mobilize their e-mail list; however, let's not lose perspective. Our country has a lot of problems and we are getting ready for two years of gridlock (at least?) as Mitch McConnell says his number one goal is defeating President Obama in 2012. Does that sound like we should expect any progress/reforms from the 112th congress?

It surely does not to me, so getting all worked up about Keith Olbermann getting indefinitely suspended for an actual internal corporate policy violation (however suspect it might be... honestly, I don't know how to feel about the rule itself) seems kind of silly.

I think we know one for thing with ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY:

Mr. Olbermann himself knows this is NOT a First Amendment issue.

Sarah Palin might think so. Dr. Laura Schleshinger might think so. Carrie Prejean might think so. It is not.

For an example of the better uses of their energy by the PCCC, check this out.

UPDATE: I will say that I am doing my part in at least one way to hopefully bring back Olbermann sooner rather than later and that is, of course, not watching his show while he is gone. I am a regular viewer but turned it off last night. I had read a report that Chris Hayes was going to be filling in and was willing to watch it with Mr. Hayes - but he was not there; I had never seen that guy before who was filling in. Did Chris Hayes take a stand in support of Mr. Olbermann and refuse to fill in?