Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The Prudes Speak!

David French:
Over at the Wall Street Journal, James Taranto highlights a revealing and much-talked-about exchange between the Washington Post ombudsman, an anonymous reader, and an anonymous Post reporter exploring the Post’s bias against social conservatives. While the entire exchange (and Taranto’s analysis) are worth reading, I wanted to pull out two quotes of interest. First, the WaPo ombudsman:
Because our profession lives and dies on the First Amendment — one of the libertarian cornerstones of the Constitution — most journalists have a problem with religionists telling people what they can and cannot do. We want to write words, read books, watch movies, listen to music, and have sex and babies pretty much when, where and how we choose.
Taranto’s response:
That “libertarian” is quite a dodge. Most journalists are anything but libertarian in areas where that would mean siding against the left, such as guns, education, taxes, nonsexual health care and nonmedia corporate free speech.
I agree with Taranto — “libertarian” is the wrong word. And this raises a pet peeve. It’s astounding how many times liberals say “libertarian” when they really mean “libertine.”
Stick to your guns, social conservatives! Make sure the Republican party never strays from its mission to scold.

12 comments:

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

nonmedia corporate free speech.

well. That is quite a construct there.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

Sure. So what's wrong with libertines, Taranto?

Substance McGravitas said...

That is quite a construct there.

I think he's demanding a right to unaltered press releases that people are forced to read or something. For liberty!

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

Of course, I meant French, not Taranto.

I never got the program, can't keep the wingnut Anti-Sex League straight.

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Meanwhile, Janghazi Rubin runs amok.

From others on her common tater list (it's mainly people like me who throw rotten apples all day), I've heard that 1) the Ombudsman gets very irate when Jenghazi is mentioned, and 2) he's about to leave the WaPo.
~

Smut Clyde said...

It’s astounding how many times liberals say “libertarian” when they really mean “libertine.”

"The First Amendment is one of the libertine cornerstones of the Constitution" really doesn't have the same ring to it

M. Bouffant said...

I believe you mis-spelt "prunes."

fish said...

I don't think libertines are as good as oranges.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

In any case, I am pleased that the Republican Party and Conservatives in general have decided that slut-shaming and generally negative attitudes toward sex in general are going to remain key parts of their public efforts.

I am sure the other 90% of people who don't have the same issues will be changing their attitudes any day now.

Smut Clyde said...

Does anyone have a good recipe for a Libertini?

Substance McGravitas said...

The bartender makes whatever he likes and has everyone in the bar bid for it.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

I'd suggest we go to another bar.