In this Fox Forum commentary, Andrea Tantaros laments a disturbing trend — the nasty rhetorical diatribes and ugly jokes being directed by media figures against prominent women who support traditional morality.

Recent examples include the attack on beauty queen Carrie Prejean for expressing support for defining marriage as a heterosexual-only institution, and David Letterman’s ill-considered and very unfunny joke about Sarah Palin’s daughter being targeted for sex by a professional baseball player.

Tantaros wonders about the curious silence of feminist organizations like the National Organization of Women when females with a conservative morality are attacked in this way. And, she says, Americans should take action against those who level such attacks:

The First Amendment protects free speech but there is no reason that we, as citizens and consumers, should buy it. When it comes to those who want to disrespect any woman, we can take it to their bottom line and not only speak out, but also boycott their business.

Violence against women is wrong, no matter what party affiliation, not to mention it’s just not funny. The more acceptable it becomes to express violent, crass language against women in the public arena the more you can expect our country to fray at the seams.