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I can't help but be a little confused by the recent attempts of the so called progressive community to attempt to stifle the free speech of Americans. It seems the only free speech these so called progressives believe in is their free speech.
I noticed this shortly after becoming a contributor to the VOA. If I were to write an article that agreed with a progressive point of view there was a sudden flood of atta-boys. Don't get me wrong that's just an observation which led to this article.
Last week the Daily Kos, a supposed liberal beacon of free speech, pressured a newspaper to pull an article from it's website
The original article by the Statesman's Patrick Beach knocked the nutrooters for the so-called "surprise" Gore visit, said it turned into a "faint-in," and that their general feeling was "terribly self-confirming," among other snippy comments... fun, but snippy. The general tone of the piece was that of amusement at how seriously the nutrooters took themselves.
Now I know Phaedrus, Zelph and their fellow netkooks preach tolerance but really?
Then we have the example of Mr "Two America's" late night rendezvous with the mother of his alleged love child and what is the response of the LA Times?
1. Slate's Mickey Kaus published a jaw-dropping item earlier today that the Los Angeles Times has banned its bloggers from writing about the reported affair between Sen. John Edwards and a blonde named Rielle Hunter. Kaus obtained a copy of an e-mail written by Times editor Tony Pierce. Wrote Pierce, "Because the only source has been the National Enquirer we have decided not to cover the rumors or salacious speculations. So I am asking you all not to blog about this topic until further notified."
Now I'm sure if that had been a republican they would have banned any comment by their bloggers.....yeah right.
Mix these examples in with the refusal of the New York Times to print an op-ed from Republican nominee John McCain and it becomes apparent to all that free speech to some only means speech they agree with.
Does this seem like fair and balanced reporting or opinion shaping?
One last exhibit to the media bias.
The Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University, where researchers have tracked network news content for two decades, found that ABC, NBC and CBS were tougher on Obama than on Republican John McCain during the first six weeks of the general-election campaign.
You read it right: tougher on the Democrat.
During the evening news, the majority of statements from reporters and anchors on all three networks are neutral, the center found. And when network news people ventured opinions in recent weeks, 28% of the statements were positive for Obama and 72% negative.
Network reporting also tilted against McCain, but far less dramatically, with 43% of the statements positive and 57% negative, according to the Washington-based media center.
[link:www.latimes.com]
Then, last week former Press Secretary Scott McClellan told MSNBC that the White House often fed talking points to FOX NEWS.
I can see why the Times doesn't want to get involved in the possible Edwards affair. It is based only on the National Enquirer. If they did that, the Bushes would already be divorced, aliens would be running the world and Big Foot would be a showthing at the local zoo.
Now, if another independent, reputable source confirms the Edwards affair then we can have a debate about its newsworthiness.
Kos can do what they want. Your article doesn't give me enough information to make a judgment on that.
This site is dominated by people who post from a left/liberal/progressive point of view. It is only natural in that case to have articles to that POV to be given "attaboys."
Since my arrival here over 2 years ago, I have hoped and asked for reasonable people from the right to post here. I want to see things from the other side. You have been okay. AZRWinger is hard right and I disagree with most everything he writes, but it is done in an intelligent way.
I hope that our next newcomers can contribute more than......."hey you niggerloving, douchebag, c**t, who loves black man dick............" That would be a refreshing change.
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