tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post7950507989113309353..comments2023-09-29T06:57:06.991-07:00Comments on Anglachel's Journal: Sweet Little LiesAnglachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01110546252851760414noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post-10086006980757612152008-06-12T19:29:00.000-07:002008-06-12T19:29:00.000-07:00Honestly, Clinton was not my idea of a good candid...Honestly, Clinton was not my idea of a good candidate. I was hoping the Dems would come up with a better idea. Really. <BR/> But! When I looked on the "progressive" blogs for the communal commentary I found...hatred!<BR/> I was appalled by the vitrolic commentary which so often echoed the previously-decried rightwing narratives. Whoa! <BR/> I just couldn't support any candidacy that brought out such poison in its supporters. You don't have to be a Bible reader to know that "by their fruits ye shall know them".<BR/>That's as valid now as it has ever been, and like the Golden Rule, has a variant in every belief system.<BR/> Clinton benefitted from this in that she got a second look from me. As it turned out, her campaign style definitely got stronger. The "fake" Hillary image that I disliked was replaced by the genuine strong clear voice speaking for policies that make sense to me.rcmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10348541929662587702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post-43822543455130126672008-06-11T18:19:00.000-07:002008-06-11T18:19:00.000-07:00What I don't get is how the same voices that cried...What I don't get is how the same voices that cried out in the wilderness that the media helped lie us into Iraq (Judy Miller, anyone?), were so willing to embrace that same media when it embraced Obama. I read a comment somewhere today that if Obama said let's stay in Iraq for 100 years, the blogger boyz would all jump to, telling us what a visionary idea it is, and crying out what is wrong with the rest of us who don't see it as visionary. Even worse, the mainstream media would agree -- best speech since Lincoln, best idea since sliced bread. UGH. Is this what happens when a nation falls for a personality cult? We can only hope that the great mass of Americans who do not blog, and who pay little attention to the media, will save us in November.femB4demhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01769087877146127176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post-61222935320960892102008-06-11T04:29:00.000-07:002008-06-11T04:29:00.000-07:00“Although blasphemous, immoral, treasonable, schis...“Although blasphemous, immoral, treasonable, schismatical, seditious or scandalous libels are punishable by the English law . . . the liberty of the press, properly understood, is by no means infringed or violated. The liberty of the press is essential to the nature of a free state; but this consists in laying no previous restraint upon publications, and not in freedom from censure for criminal matter when published. Every freeman has an undoubted right to lay what sentiments he pleases before the public. To forbid this is to destroy the freedom of the press; but if he publishes what is improper, mischievous or illegal, he must take the consequences of his own temerity. To subject the press to the restrictive power of a licenser as was formerly done, is to subject all freedom of sentiment to the prejudices of one man, and make him the arbitrary and infallible judge of all controverted points in learning, religion and government." Sir William Blackstone<BR/><BR/>What Blackstone meant by “blasphemous, immoral, treasonable….” was of course, anything the crown or the government deemed it to be and he was no advocate for free speech for the common populace. The First Amendment, ratified in 1791, incorporated<BR/>Blackstone’s theory and was arguably, the beginning of the end of what many Americans understood freedom of speech to mean and led to the passing of the Alien Sedition Acts in 1798. <BR/><BR/>Jefferson struggled with the First Amendment and although he was apt to rail against “the licentiousness of the press” and according to Geoffrey Stone, once observed that a<BR/>few strategic prosecutions of prominent editors would have a “wholesome effect in restoring the integrity of the presses”. What Jefferson wished above all is that a free press would present a barrier to government encroaching on the rights of the populace.<BR/><BR/>"No government ought to be without censors, and where the press is free, no one ever will. If virtuous, it need not fear the fair operation of attack and defence. Nature has given to man no other means of sifting out the truth whether in religion, law or politics. I think it as honorable to the government neither to know nor notice its sycophants or censors, as it would be undignified and criminal to pamper the former and persecute the latter." --Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 1792. ME 8:406 <BR/><BR/>In essence, A man may be allowed to keep poisons in his closet, but not publicly to vend them as cordials.<BR/><BR/>Most people, including most journalists, would be at a loss to explain the meaning of a ”free press” today. With the cost-cutting decimation of regional and urban print media, the internet was hailed as the godsend of free expression - perhaps it started that way, but it has devolved, with a few notable exceptions, into “The Lord of the Flies”, warring packs trading in lies, rumours and innuendoes, watch dog pamphleteers turned hunt and attack dog propagandists. Together with the incestuous corporate media, television and print they tell us what to wear, what to weigh and who to vote for, and the public, no longer able to discern, and in<BR/>spite of whopping percentages of said public saying that they do not trust the media, continue to watch and read in record numbers. The Fourth Estate is still, what Henry Fielding said it was in 1752 “a mob”. I<BR/><BR/>A man may be allowed to keep poisons in his closet, but not publicly vend them as cordials.<BR/><BR/>You and Somerby and the few others of your caliber, cannot do this alone…as Gina Gershon succinctly says in The Daily Howler’s video link, “these - these journalists are not accountable for anything.” Until they own that their closet poison is being publicly sold as cordial and risk their multi-million dollar careers, they will remain unaccountable. My hope is not large.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post-81098961116654366192008-06-10T22:51:00.000-07:002008-06-10T22:51:00.000-07:00The problem lies that too many journalists, blogge...The problem lies that too many journalists, bloggers, and Obamaphiles have no perspective. Most have no respect for history, no contact with different viewpoints, and no recognition of their own limitations. <BR/><BR/>But I'm torn as to the effect of this problem. Yes, the "media" took Hillary down this election by apparently denying her the nomination. But the voters still choose her. They won't poll her numbers any more but I have not seen Obama's go up in any significant manner. That means he's not pulling her voters over.<BR/><BR/>In the Old Soviet Union, most folks ignored Pravada and official government pronouncements. Here most do as well, though it's unclear if it's lack of time, lack of interest, or lack of trust. I used to believe that it was the first two, but now I'm seeing number three rising up the list. <BR/><BR/>That doesn't rob us of our responsibility to call out the worst offenders. But maybe we need to reconsider some weapons. Hillary really played to local tv/radio in the states she swept. Obviously cost control played a big factor. But it also probably helped cement her support since more people identify with local anchors over soulless national news that only seems to involve folks screaming at each other.<BR/><BR/>If we are going to survive a Bush or Obama presidency, we will have to build local grassroots effort since national party gone. It's too easy to have national groups (blogs, Air America) coopted.Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11162784314371837469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post-85168381706115498992008-06-10T22:14:00.000-07:002008-06-10T22:14:00.000-07:00The Daily Howler latest post does provide a ray of...The Daily Howler latest post does provide a ray of hope. It talk about Cohen and Kinsley that, in their convoluted way, do call the lies and speak the truth in their strange way.<BR/><BR/>BTD still claims that Obama is the media darling. Since I don't read papers or watch TV news and talk shows, I cannot challenge him despite the fact that I know that most of the media is right wing or downright stupid and, therefore will support McCain. Furthermore, the historic record doesn't support BTD.<BR/><BR/>I don't believe that the so-called Obama lefties know that they are lying. It is similar to a heavily drug person committing a major crime. Both lost their judgment and are totally impaired. <BR/><BR/>The Obama goons are Obama-comatose and when the media suddenly will turn on them, they will feel betrayed, abandoned and dejected. They will not attribute it to their own lies.<BR/><BR/>History is replete with examples of the Obama goons behavior. When Nazi Germany lost the war, untold number of Nazis continued to believe in the Fürher. Franco has died in 1975 but many Fracoists are still active in Spain. <BR/><BR/>Way too many nations have a precious one whose name is used for lies and worse. The Obama goons are not a new phenomenon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post-89824154786779848842008-06-10T19:23:00.000-07:002008-06-10T19:23:00.000-07:00Speaking of sweet little lies...I am outraged at t...Speaking of sweet little lies...I am outraged at the unified effort of Obama and Friends to intrude in our civil discussion here...and elsewhere.<BR/><BR/>We have people stealing e-mail identities and then group-grope messages (see "Colleen" in your previous post - adopting the persona of a "Military Mom") - as if these messages will somehow convince us to vote for someone who is simply an empty suit. <BR/><BR/>Hey...it's NOT going to happen. In fact it just makes me more convinced at what a loser Obama is.<BR/><BR/>The lies and trickery and fraud continues and I am sick and tired of no one in the MSM addressing it. This latest effort is a serious problem - forget it deals with HRC supporters - for all internet users.<BR/><BR/>And it is official BS from BO. <BR/><BR/>Wow. What a candidate!Shainzonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18219260005354359058noreply@blogger.com