Surprise! CNN anchor says left too dangerously P.C.

A black news anchor with CNN has sidestepped the cable outlet's normally leftist leanings to criticize some in his own camp for over-the-top political correctness, saying the anti-First Amendment atmosphere has grown to the point of damaging society.

CNN "Tonight" host Don Lemon said in a radio commentary for Black America Web the P.C. atmosphere has become "dangerous," and that his 25 years in the media profession has shown him progressives are among the "least tolerant" in America, Mediaite reported.

"The Death of Free Speech: How Our Broken National Dialogue Has Killed the Truth and Divided America" examines how the news media has created arbitrary, biased and illogical rules for determining what can and cannot be said in the public arena.

Lemon's comments came in context of discussing comedian Jerry Seinfeld's recent rants about the difficulty of performing on college campuses due to the rampant politically correct culture.

The openly "gay" Lemon said: "Do you allow room in your space for those who disagree with you? Do you ever call coworkers or the person you hear on the radio or see on TV stupid because you disagree with them or because they don't hold your same opinion about an issue? If so, then you might be too politically correct for your own good, for society's good."

He then wrote Americans "have to stop looking for reasons to be offended" and instead give "people leeway to make mistakes in conversations without calling them racist, bigots, stupid, dumb, sell-outs and on and on."

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Lemon warned "not everyone" will find agreement on all issues, but said: "That's how we learn," Mediaite reported.

And he issued some scathing criticisms of those on the left.

"After almost 25 years in the news business, you know who is the most easily offended and the least tolerant: Liberals and progressives, because many of them don't really want to hear anyone else's opinion but their own," Lemon wrote. "Here's a tip. if you only agree with people who hold your same political affiliation or who are of your particular race, gender or ethnicity, you are part of the political correctness run amuck problem. You are actually thwarting progress instead of advancing."