Bill Maher, host of ABC’s current events talk show “Politically Incorrect,” occasionally recites his opinion of what political correctness is: the elevation of sensitivity over the truth.

It’s extremely fitting that Maher’s comments during the aptly named show have sparked what appears to be a fallout between Maher and ABC.

After the show returned to the air the week after the terrorist attacks, a few of Maher’s comments during the debate-style show enraged some viewers and advertisers.

“We have been the cowards, lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away – that’s cowardly,” said Maher, a longtime supporter of the United States military who was arguing that the suicide-terrorists’ actions were braver than those of some U.S. government actions. “Staying in the airplane when it hits the building – say what you want about it, it’s not cowardly.”

Companies including Federal Express and Sears pulled ads in the wake of the comments, and Maher clarified his comments during a later episode of the show.

But Maher has said his relationship with ABC since the event has been rocky, and he doesn’t anticipate the corporation to renew his contract when it expires in 2002 – if he lasts that long.

It’s a shame that on a show that showcases many of the freedoms that Americans enjoy – the most noteworthy on this show being the freedom of speech – Maher could be handcuffed by stating a simple opinion during a debate.

The country obviously was in a delicate emotional state so soon after the attacks, but it should have been important to protect Maher’s point of view.

Even though advertisers have the right to pull the ads and ABC has the right to show Maher the door, the actions are wrong.

In discouraging debate and free speech, the actions of the aforementioned organizations actually were more unpatriotic than Maher’s statements.