Long-standing Tradition – For What That's Worth

Bullshit Traditions

The Times-Standard Editor's assert their tradition of “printing My Word Opinions, including those submitted by a group of individuals.” Thus justifying their July 22, 2011, printing by Eight former Eureka Council members including one former Mayor. I wrote about what the Times-Standard Editors were doing publishing this rhetorical demagog when I made the following observation in Nanny Speak or Mob Rule:

“Again we witness conservative ideologue believers using the Times-Standard to promote their demagogue and vitriol to divide and alienate the people of Humboldt County while their hypocrisy and duplicity is as repulsive as a pile of cat shit on your kitchen table. “Progress or protest? We need to work together to move forward” is classic in how these wannabe Elitist say one thing and do another.”

On, Wednesday, August 3, 2011, My Word commentary by Judy Hodgson, publisher and co-owner of the North Coast Journal responds to the Gang of Eight's attack on her paper in: An error and omission in former Eureka officials' My Word piece – The “omission” is that none of the eight signees of that My Word: Progress or protest? We need to work together to move forward was written by either of them. Yet the newspaper printed their “opinion” as if they had. In response to Judy Hodgson the Editor says:

“Editor's note: The Times-Standard has a long-standing tradition of printing My Word opinions, including those submitted by a group of individuals. As with all My Word pieces, each of the signers was called and each verified that they were signing on as an author of the submission.” [Emphasis added]

So, now, do we add to the list such characteristics as deviate, untruthful, deceptive, misrepresentation, or just plain, flat-out liars? Which brings me to the Times-Standard propensity to publish these kinds of letters, My Word and other Opinions including Dave Stancliff's As It Stands that purport authenticity and legitimacy based upon, as we can see here, an assumed fact or truth that is in reality merely someone's unsubstantiated and nonfactual belief.

Judy Hodgson asserts: "So the source was none of the eight signers." If what the Times-Standard Editors say is the truth, then those eight individuals lied. If not, then the Editor's lied. Either way, the credibility of one or both are suspect. So much for publishing half-truths, lies, hate, demagoguery and racist bigotry – disguised as so-called free speech.

NOTE: Humboldt Herald's latest comments.

--Joe

A Voice From the Wilderness

A voice from the wilderness is what I thought when I read Linda Atkin's My Word in today's Saturday, July 30, 2011, Times-Standard: Democracy and dissent go together. Once again the newspaper adds another page to the ongoing saga initiated by the firing of police Chief Garr Nielsen for no cause. In a way Linda Atkins had no choice but to confront the personal diatribe and invective assaulting her from those wanton wannabe Eureka Elites, our Gang of Eight.

The contrast between what that self-righteous Gang of Eight hypocritically (“Progress or protest? We need to work together to move forward”) wrote and Linda Atkins said is stark indeed – an open hand versus a clenched fist. What struck me was her reasonable, if not a bit naive, response of a sensitive representative. The voters are ultimately responsible for the government they choose, whether they stand accountable or not. You want corrupt whores telling you what to do, how to live, what to think and how to believe – pay the price. A “though cop” mentality makes you accountable whether you like it or not.

A majority of Americans voted for a Democratic President that said one thing and has an inviolate record of doing the very opposite. Based upon what Linda Atkins says it appears her approach to Democracy is to enforce the people's right to hold such people, their representatives, accountable. What the Gang of Eight and those that support them fail to realize or, perhaps never understood, is that once elected they represent ALL people as their constituents. Not just their monied, philosophical and ideological backers and supporters.

It is curious, however, to see where the newspaper editors placed her My Word article. Week after week Steve and Cokie Roberts' article appeared below the fold. Today their faces appear prominently right under the cartoon. We certainly don't need to guess how or what the newspaper editors think about Councilwoman Linda Atkins. Which would explain why they published the personal, racist, invective, attacking a class of people represented by Councilwoman Linda Atkins in the first place.

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[UPDATE to Little Foot-Stampers and Fist-Shakers]

Come join the club, because we're just like you - The "club" being our little Nanny Club or Gang of Eight. Conrad Gregory's attempt at satire is worth a read. It's encouraging to see the push-back against the matter-of-fact attitude castigating everyone's rights of citizenship.

[Source]

--Joe