I suppose intelligent discourse really is dead.

[kellinator]

scarcrest reports that certain parties have not taken well to the Lone Star Iconoclast's endorsement of John Kerry.

"In the past, when individuals disagreed with an editorial, they would write a letter to the editor politely expressing a different point of view in contrast to the views of the publishers, which we have usually published.... The new mode of operation, I am told, is that when a newspaper prints an editorial of which some sectors might disagree, the focus is now upon how to run the newspaper out of business.... Unfortunately, for the Iconoclast and its publishers there have been threats — big ones including physical harm.

...Next time you hear a Republican crowing about how the Republicans are the party of values, I want you to think about the values of threatening and harrassing newspaper employees who aren't even on the editorial staff. I want to you think about the values of trying to silence those who disagree with you, rather than offering articulate reasoning as to why you disagree. And then I want you to think about what kind of values they're really selling you.

Yes, I agree: I am rude and condescending when it comes to politics. In return, I put up with rude and condescending comments from many of my circle, because it's only fair. But I have never threatened those of opposing viewpoints with physical harm (well, maybe alanator, but he was goading me while I was drunk). If these people are willing to do so, you might want to ask yourself exactly what they're afraid of.

If I make it through the next month without losing my fucking mind, it'll be a fucking miracle.

Comments

[dwivian]

Took the course in 2001. Not quite so late as you'd expect. And, my continued, and now informed, read shows that the bias is still there. Remember, this is not in the decision of what to report (which is a seperate bias of its own) but in the language used in the reporting. That is almost never influenced by the ownership, as it is a tone set by regional authors and newsfeeds, which tend not to change overmuch because of market needs for writers.

What is covered, and what isn't, comes out of the desire to protect the revenue stream, and thus is related to the advertiser base. Watch, sometime, to see how far apart a story about the evils of fast food can get from the latest HappyMeal placement.... If that's conservative or liberal I can't say, as I'm sure it is more a reflection of the target market than anything else. So.... is America becoming more conservative? Or is there some other reason you'd guess? I'll admit to not reading Schiller's book, so I'll bet you have an answer in there you can share!

::waiting, with anticipation::