COMMERCIAL FREEDOM OF SPEECH DOESN'T COME FREE

The following is a perspective for Direct magazine by postal commentator Gene Del Polito. The views expressed are the author's.

Sometimes you have just got to wonder: What will it take to get those within our industry to recognize that there are a number of people in the media who think that unsolicited direct mail ranks right behind spam as one of the plagues of the 21st century? Better than that, what will it take to get them resolved not to just sit back and let competitors and detractors take pot shots at them, but to stand ready to respond to any threat to their ability to use mail for business development without unnecessary externally-imposed constraints?

Not a month goes by not marked by some newspaper or broadcast editorial targeting unsolicited advertising mail as the next plague that requires governmental attention in much the same manner as unsolicited direct marketing telephone calls and unsolicited business faxes. Of course, those who are so eager to throw stones never take a closer look at the advertising-dependent glass houses in which they reside.

I understand the stupidity born of others' cupidity. What I don't understand (and have a hard time forgiving) is the disregard that many within our industry show toward these "anti-junk mail" attacks. Why an industry as important to the nation's economic well-being as direct mail most definitely is doesn't care enough to defend themselves against these mindless attacks is totally beyond me.

The old saying is: "As you sow, so shall you reap." If part of your sowing is to ignore the disparagements of those who really want a larger share of the advertising and marketing pie, those who genuinely believe the have some divine insight to our nation's ecological well-being, or just flat-out fail to appreciate the contributions that advertising makes to the nation's economic development or the benefits they derive from the financial support advertising provides to various competitive media, then spare me your tears when governments at the federal, state, and local levels begin passing laws or regulations that sharply curtail the freedoms our industry currently enjoys.

It's bad enough when some of the criticisms leveled at us by others have some basis in reality. It's quite another, however, when our own neglect is the cause of our suffering what can only be called "self-inflicted wounds."

Commercial freedom of speech doesn't come free. Whatever freedom it enjoys must be defended against those who would prefer to silence our voice.