We all know I'm not new to blogger controversy, but this recent issue over two of John Edwards' bloggers is ridiculous. Let me see if I can correctly frame the issue for ya.
The Edwards campaign recently hired two bloggers, Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan. They are both very talented bloggers, otherwise they wouldn't be attached to a top tier Presidential candidate.
About a week ago, the right wingers started attacking these junior level campaign staffers as if they were baby killers. As bloggers sometimes do when extremely passionate about something, they used profane words throughout some of their posts. Maybe we don't want our kids reading those posts, but what is really profane is the issues they were talking about: Americans dying in an unjustified war, healthcare for millions of uninsured folks, women's reproductive rights, etc.
So, instead of standing up to right wingers who are making a habit of smearing our '08 Presidential candidates, the Edwards campaign may fire these two bloggers. Salon.com has reported that they have been fired, but there are still conflicting reports of what's really going on. I hope the Edwards campaign will let us know very soon how this issue will play out.
My advice would be to retain the bloggers and defend them for the passionate and dedicated people that they are. Further, they should attack the hipocrisy of people like Bill Donohue and Michelle Malkin, who have been peddling this story to the main stream media. I'm not done yet. We should also start letting folks know about the ethically challenged staffers on Republican campaigns. There are plenty.
One another note, the blogosphere is an incubator for ideas. It is a place for ongoing dialogue between bloggers and readers. Just as we wouldn't want to be judged by every word we have spoken, I hope this doesn't hinder present and future bloggers from fully expressing their ideas and opinions. If the Edwards campaign seizes this precedent setting opportunity to defend their bloggers, we'll have much more of an opportunity to continue the good work of the blogosphere.
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2 comments:
It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Honestly, I don't see a whole lot of substance in Edwards. He talks a good talk, but it's just a show. Like too many candidates before him, he's just a very well manufactured product, that I'm not ready to buy.
This shows the real picture of being a blogger/journalist/concerned citizen.
Let nobody hinder us in expressing our thoughts, ideas and opinions.
And we should write, first for ourselves not for anybody else.
Indeed, we write to express and not to impress.
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