When the people that founded this country established the amendment guaranteeing that the rights of speech would be protected, they were different times. A handful of corporations didn’t control the media, and special interest groups didn’t even exist. Now the idea of a country tolerant and respectful of diverse ideas is becoming a mere memory, and the battle can’t even be fought in the courtrooms as it once was.

Burn, baby, burn.

The panic rippling through the entertainment industry since Don Imus’ firing has reached critical mass. Yesterday, XM Satellite Radio, a subscriber-based pay service, suspended the Opie and Anthony Show for 30 days, and inside sources have been indicated their removal is permanent. This comes as a reaction to comments a homeless man on their show made about lusting after several prominent political figures.

This move comes not as a reaction to an outcry from an offended public. In fact, XM advertises the show as “raw, outrageous, and uncensored” and the segment was common fare for the show. It comes as a result of certain political figures, Al Sharpton chief among them, who are lobbying to threaten the merger between XM and Sirius to leverage against the show.

Basically, these people are dictating what kind of comedy I’m allowed to spend my money on. We’ve crossed the line. This isn’t about business or sponsors any more, this about a small number of people deciding what can and can’t be said publicly. These people have too much power and it’s time to push back.

So what can we do? Don’t be a silent majority any more. Sign up for People Against Censorship a new advocacy group giving the opposition a voice. They represent the many of us that are content to be offended from time to time for the sake of having a country that’s proud to have a dialog of disparate ideas.

If you subscribe to XM, cancel your subscription today. Don’t take the free months, rebates or discounts they’ll throw at you. CANCEL. They don’t care about providing the service they advertise. If they decide to change their position and stand behind the creative freedoms of their on-air talent, you can always resubscribe, but until then, hit them where it hurts.

Want to join the fight? Take a number…

Today I felt a disturbance in the Force …thousands of souls cried out and then were suddenly silenced. With disappointment that is. Yes, if you’re among one of the many Halo 3 fanatics who’ve been waiting patiently for the multiplayer beta — chances are you’re not too happy right about now.

For reasons that are still unknown at this time, the Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta is still not open. (Edit: According to various reports, the patch for Crackdown has corrupted 360 units and it’s created even greater headaches for the F&F Halo Beta testers). This isn’t just a regional problem, but affecting users throughout the globe!)

Update (7:45 p.m. EST): Bungie reports that they should have the matter corrected within the next 3 to 6 hours, barring any unforseen problems.

Our community forum manager in particular isn’t too thrilled about it, stating that “Bungie is dead to me right now.” Ouch. Well, rest assured, things should be all good tomorrow.

Later tonight, Rich G will provide some added input on the topic and who knows — you might even get a few hands-on impressions (wouldn’t that be awesome?) Stay tuned.

Download. Now.

June is just around the corner (ok, there’s two more weeks to go — can’t blame us for getting a little anxious) and Hardcore Gamer’s latest issue is available for digital distribution. In other words, you get to download the PDF edition for free. Gratis. On the house. The cover story talks about everyone’s favorite webcrawler who just recently broke box office records and made his latest multi-platform videogame appearance in Spider-man 3. It’s too early for me to pass judgment, but word on the street says the games don’t live up to the live-action summer flick. Bummer. There’s chockfull of other stuff to read, but the real important buzz for those of you keeping score, HGM turned 2. Yeah, believe it. Not bad eh? Congrats to Tim and the crew — you showed those naysayers what’s up!

Click here to download Issue 23

Microsoft and Bungie have made it official – their mega-hyped, eagerly anticipated system-defining shooter Halo 3 will hit retail stores on September 25. The announcement of the final ship date coincides nicely with the beginning of the public beta that begins today, so if you see some folks walking around with wide eyes and muttering “sensory overload…sensory overload”, chances are they’re fans of the series.

According to Peter Moore (the boss of the Xbox 360 group), “Sept. 25, we intend to deliver a finale that will go down in entertainment history and leave people around the world with an experience that will be shared and enjoyed for years to come.” Pretty big words.

So you’d think that the start of the public multiplayer beta and a final ship date would be all the Halo 3 news the world could stand, right? Not quite – Microsoft also announced that they’re releasing a Halo 3-themed Zune, featuring all sorts of Master Chief-inspired bells and whistles, such as videos and artwork. Perhaps someone may actually buy one of these iPod clones now?

It’s clear, Halo fans – Bungie is back and ready to dominate your life again. First, it’s for the next three weeks during the beta, followed by three months of anticipation for the final showdown to save humankind. Plunk down those pre-orders, tighten up your dual-wielding skills, and re-learn those grenade stick mechanics. The Chief is waiting.

LOL. What can I say — some of us don’t accept defeat too well. :p