The Liberal Way: The First Amendment Is For Our Point Of View, But Not Yours
Keep in mind that this is one day after we found out that the New York Times would not publish an op-ed written by John McCain because it did not mirror Obama’s point of view. Today, I present to you another example of suppression of free speech. Keep these two examples in mind each and every time you hear the left talk about the fairness doctrine!
From this point on, I am copying the work of Michelle Malkin:
Newspaper surrenders to humorless nutroots; Editor and Publisher writer gloats
So, not only are we not allowed to make fun of Barack Obama, but it appears that liberals in the media have also made ridiculing the left-wing blogosphere off-limits.
Via Free Republic and Newsbusters comes news that the Austin American Statesman has caved into nutroots pressure to yank a front-page feature poking gentle fun at the Netroots Nation/Kossack blog convention last week. Who led the charge to censor the piece? Editor and Publisher’s Greg Mitchell, who whined about the article in a blog post at the Daily Kos (!) and then gloated about his role in yanking of the “snarky” article in E&P.
Kristinn Taylor at FR writes:
The Austin American-Statesman caved to pressure from the Daily Kos-Netroots Nation and pulled an article from the newspaper’s website that poked fun at the liberal convention being held in Austin last weekend.
The article, entitled Gore’s Surprise Visit Highlights Netroots Conference was published on the front page of Sunday’s paper.
It was written by feature writer, Patrick Beach–meaning the article was not a straight news piece (think Dana Milbank.)
Greg Mitchell, a writer for Editor & Publisher who blogs at the Daily Kos attended the conference as a panel speaker.
He brought attention to the article by posting about it [at] the Daily Kos. Mitchell says that Austin Kossacks claiming to know people at the American-Statesman promised to “work their magic” on the paper.
By Monday the article was pulled from the American-Statesman’s website, with the message: “The page you’ve requested is not available.”
The newspaper’s groveling apologia for daring to mock the un-mock-able is here.
Our front-page story Sunday about the Netroots Nation convention included doses of irony and exaggeration. It made assertions (that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi might find herself at home politically in Beijing, for example) and characterizations (”marauding liberals” was one) meant to amuse. For many readers, we failed.
In trying for a humorous take on the Netroots phenomenon without labeling it something other than a straightforward news story, we compromised our standards.
” Fred Zipp, editor
The Forbidden Piece by feature writer Patrick Beach is still cached here. A taste:
There was even one panel Friday featuring Princeton economics professor and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman (wearing, as if to galvanize stereotype, what appeared to be Birkenstocks) that was essentially about how the media weren’t liberal enough.
As they say, only in Austin.
Filmmaker Paul Stekler, who teaches film production and politics at the University of Texas, said:”As you have greater democratization (through the use of technology to distribute one’s message), you also have a greater degree of what’s called confirmation bias. We live in a very different and weird world in terms of dissemination of information right now.”
Indeed, you couldn’t find anybody who disagreed that President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were “two ignoramuses,” a label hurled by Parag Mehta, the Democratic National Committee’s director of training.
Big names? Got ‘em. There was Markos Moulitsas Zúniga, founder of the Daily Kos political blog, who hatched the idea a few years ago to get his like-minded pals together and who, in a Friday lunchtime keynote with Harold Ford Jr., chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council, seemed amazed at what the notion had unleashed.
“We’re going to keep growing; we’re going to keep pushing for an unapologetic Democratic Party,” Moulitsas said.
Then there was John Dean, the former Nixon White House counsel who has made a second career of railing against what he considers right-wing excesses the way recovering alcoholics preach against strong drink.
“I have deep fear of my former tribe, and what they might do particularly in the law,” Dean said, before going on to refer to former Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani as “Richard Nixon on crystal meth.”
It’s plinking bass in a barrel to paint liberals as overly intellectual types incapable of having fun unless reading Noam Chomsky counts, and it sure does for them. And there were a handful of colorful characters, including some men from Cedar Creek who looked like bikers and represented the Warrior Wolf Society, which they described as “a group of pagan warriors with wolf totem spirit,” and a guy in a Bush mask and clothing with prison stripes.
But for the most part, these were serious-minded people, and decorum prevailed.
When a few people had the temerity to shout at Pelosi and Gore, they got shushed as mercilessly as they would have at a Nanci Griffith concert.
The no fun thing? Maybe it’s because, as Democrats, they’re not used to having it.
Hit the nail on the head. And we can’t have that.
Shusssshhhhhh.
Trackposted to <a href=”http://www.thirdworldcounty.us/?p=3617″>third world county</a>, <a href=”http://dragonladysworld.com/wordpress/?p=1601″>DragonLady’s World</a>, <a href=”http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/?p=1551″>The World According to Carl</a>, <a href=”http://dragonladysworld.com/wordpress/?p=1601″>DragonLady’s World</a>, <a href=”http://rosemarysnews.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/money-is-not-americas-god/”></a>, <a href=”http://thepinkflamingo.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2008/7/21/3804003.html”>The Pink Flamingo</a>, <a href=”http://leaningstraightup.com/2008/07/22/the-view-from-the-cheap-seats-reveals-the-real-n-word-nitwits/”>Leaning Straight Up</a>, <a href=”http://thomistic.blogspot.com/2008/07/msm-love-affair-with-obama.html”>Dumb Ox Daily News</a>, <a href=”http://www.dequalss.com/wp/2008/07/news-opinion-roundup-22-july-2008/”>Democrat=Socialist</a>, <a href=”http://www.anewtone.com/2008/07/mccain-going-for-jugular.html”></a>, and <a href=”http://www.conservativecat.com”>Conservative Cat</a>, thanks to <a href=”http://www.linkfests.us”>Linkfest Haven Deluxe</a>.
<a href=”http://www.linkfests.us/”><img src=”http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/307/106/320/linkfest.jpg” alt=”Linkfest Haven, the Blogger’s Oasis” /></a>
July 22, 2008 - 08:10 PM on July 22nd, 2008
Energy: Why We Need to Drill No Matter What: Part Four: Drill HERE, Drill NOW
In Part Three, I concluded that the United States will continue to require copious amounts of petroleum, and will for decades to come. And so will the rest of the world. For decades to come. THE SOLUTION What do we…
July 22, 2008 - 09:59 PM on July 22nd, 2008
Obama or Else?
Podcast Show NotesÂ
 Obama’s Young Evangelical outreach prepares to heat up.Â
Plus can we afford to be upset and not elect Obama, asks his wife.  (Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin.)
McCain fights back against the media machine that made him and t…
July 22, 2008 - 09:59 PM on July 22nd, 2008
Obama or Else?
Podcast Show NotesÂ
 Obama’s Young Evangelical outreach prepares to heat up.Â
Plus can we afford to be upset and not elect Obama, asks his wife.  (Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin.)
McCain fights back against the media machine that made him and t…
July 22, 2008 - 09:59 PM on July 22nd, 2008
Obama or Else?
Podcast Show NotesÂ
 Obama’s Young Evangelical outreach prepares to heat up.Â
Plus can we afford to be upset and not elect Obama, asks his wife.  (Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin.)
McCain fights back against the media machine that made him and t…
July 23, 2008 - 12:13 AM on July 23rd, 2008
[...] Leaning Straight Up, Dumb Ox Daily News, Democrat=Socialist, A Newt One, Conservative Cat, and Right Voices. Also, thanks to Linkfest Haven [...]
July 23, 2008 - 02:36 AM on July 23rd, 2008
Britain grows a little Dhimmer, and continues its march towards appeasement thru social engineering
All state pupils may be taught Islamic traditions as part of compulsory citizenship lessons
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The move - part of …
July 23, 2008 - 09:36 AM on July 23rd, 2008
[...] Pirate’s Cove, , The Pink Flamingo, Gulf Coast Hurricane Tracker, Dumb Ox Daily News, , and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. Close this Window Bookmark and Share This Page Save to [...]
July 23, 2008 - 10:49 AM on July 23rd, 2008
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July 23, 2008 - 11:27 AM on July 23rd, 2008
A fairly persistent series of hack attempts
My fellow bloggers, if my site is under this sort of attack, you can bet that yours is too. Protect your site visitors! Make sure you’re running the latest version of your blogging platform.
July 23, 2008 - 12:42 PM on July 23rd, 2008
Close call this time
A copycat bulldozer attack took place, just a few weeks after the last one, and fortunately, no one was murdered this tim
July 23, 2008 - 01:18 PM on July 23rd, 2008
To Domestic Drilling and Congress Doing The Right Thing…
Emergency Petition to Congress: Lift the Offshore Drilling Ban Before Congress’ Summer Recess
July 23, 2008 - 02:15 PM on July 23rd, 2008
The Pink Flamingo’s 79th Edition Thursday Thirteen
THURSDAY THIRTEENThe Pink Flamingo’s 79th Edition Thirteen Reasons Not to Display a Child’s Photo on Your BlogI’m not as much of a child hating grouch as people think I am. I am a photographer. I love taking photos of children. For re…
July 23, 2008 - 06:24 PM on July 23rd, 2008
[...] Walls of the City, The Pink Flamingo, Cao’s Blog, Dumb Ox Daily News, Democrat=Socialist, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven [...]
July 23, 2008 - 07:07 PM on July 23rd, 2008
[...] Walls of the City, The Pink Flamingo, Cao’s Blog, Dumb Ox Daily News, Democrat=Socialist, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven [...]
July 23, 2008 - 07:29 PM on July 23rd, 2008
Lionheart: The End
Bloggers: Here’s what happens when you stand against the Islamification of your own neighborhood in Great Britain.
“I was due to attend Greyfriars Police station today to answer bail regarding my arrest on ‘suspicion of stirring up racial hatred’ th…
July 23, 2008 - 09:40 PM on July 23rd, 2008
Founders’ Daily Quote: 23 July 2008
“Without wishing to damp the ardor of curiosity or influence the freedom of inquiry, I will hazard a prediction that, after the most industrious and impartial researchers, the longest liver of you all will find no principles, institutions or syst
July 24, 2008 - 03:03 AM on July 24th, 2008
Global Warming/Goracle update - Eco-Nanny roundup
I haven’t taken the time to put together a round up of the Enviro-nitwit Supreme and all the other fun, so now seems like a good time.
I do want to note one thing though, and that is the I am retiring the phrase “eco-nazi” from the blog, except…
July 24, 2008 - 03:03 AM on July 24th, 2008
Global Warming/Goracle update - Eco-Nanny roundup
I haven’t taken the time to put together a round up of the Enviro-nitwit Supreme and all the other fun, so now seems like a good time.
I do want to note one thing though, and that is the I am retiring the phrase “eco-nazi” from the blog, except…
July 24, 2008 - 09:02 AM on July 24th, 2008
News & Opinion Roundup (24 July 2008)
And you think we need MORE government? Liberalism at work folks…
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July 24, 2008 - 10:54 AM on July 24th, 2008
Obama Desecrates Holiest Site In Judaism
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July 24, 2008 - 04:07 PM on July 24th, 2008
ShoeS?
These um..”shoes” serve no other purpose other than tryin to broadcast yer s-exiness quotient by how high off the ground you can tilt without actually fallin over.
…
July 24, 2008 - 05:45 PM on July 24th, 2008
Obama Unseats Ming the Merciless as Ruler of the Universe!
NO TIME FOR SOLDIERS?”…”We have a severe case of Obama mania in this town, and in Germany, I think, in general people are waiting for the political redeemer. It’s seven years of Bush that have made people right for a new face, for a change. P…
July 24, 2008 - 06:26 PM on July 24th, 2008
Lucky and the Amazing Viper Indoor Remote Control Helicopter
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July 24, 2008 - 07:48 PM on July 24th, 2008
Let us reason together
Or is that not allowed when it involves Barack Obama? That question of course is not directed at all Obama supporters. I know some who are willing to discuss the mistakes and perhaps even their disagreements with the candidate they …
July 24, 2008 - 09:36 PM on July 24th, 2008
This would not be an apples to apples comparison
But it does give an indication of Barack Obama’s priorities.
July 25, 2008 - 12:36 AM on July 25th, 2008
Republicans get tough to force drilling debate, while Democrats duck and cover
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The Democrats have proven themselves to be masters of all things obstinate and obstructionist in the past, particular rega…
July 25, 2008 - 04:59 AM on July 25th, 2008
Birds…
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July 25, 2008 - 08:39 AM on July 25th, 2008
[...] The World According to Carl, , Pirate’s Cove, The Pink Flamingo, , Dumb Ox Daily News, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven [...]
July 25, 2008 - 09:21 AM on July 25th, 2008
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July 25, 2008 - 01:14 PM on July 25th, 2008
Muslim Women suing McDonalds over hijabs
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July 25, 2008 - 04:41 PM on July 25th, 2008
Livin’ Life: A Napster Musical
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July 26, 2008 - 09:16 AM on July 26th, 2008
News & Opinion Roundup (26 July 2008) Quick Read Edition
Fidel Castro Praises Brother for Silence on Russian Bombers
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NAT…
July 26, 2008 - 07:30 PM on July 26th, 2008
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July 26, 2008 - 09:49 PM on July 26th, 2008
One bad apple, so let’s punish the entire class
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July 27, 2008 - 05:51 AM on July 27th, 2008
that was a short trip!
A gigantic mosque is under construction in my home town. For the past two years, the “Islamic Mission” in Streamwood has been promoted by CAIR Chicago. But we have a very very small muslim community here. So if it’s not Streamwood …
July 27, 2008 - 09:34 AM on July 27th, 2008
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July 27, 2008 - 12:19 PM on July 27th, 2008
Obama Runs for PresidenT of the World
The racist, arrogant, condascending junior Senator from Illinois should be running for “Surrender Champion” not President of the greatest Nation on Earth.
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July 28, 2008 - 01:19 AM on July 28th, 2008
Friendship
We pause in our political blogging for some personal reflections.
I got an email from an old Military friend today.
It made my day.
A big shout out to Eric, and congrats on making Chief! Hope I get down your way soon.
It …