Quote of the day
posted at 10:40 pm on March 18, 2008 by Allahpundit
“In this case, the extreme license given individuals to vent, dissemble, excoriate and indulge their hates verbally, winds up destroying the expressive freedom that other people, less bold and less opinionated, need. Venturing an opinion, even a sound one, just isn’t worth the risk. The overall result is a less expansive, less robust sphere of expression — and sound, worthwhile thoughts aren’t shared…
To say there should be rules, that communicants should be admonished to strive for honesty and civility and respect, is not to justify elitism. It’s not even to prescribe the rules. But it’s to acknowledge that rules are needed, and to kick off the process of writing them.”
Blowback
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Rules in a knife fight?
Right_of_Attila on March 18, 2008 at 10:42 PM
No, we don’t.
amerpundit on March 18, 2008 at 10:45 PM
I thought we did have rules. Well, a rule, at least. It’s called the First Amendment. I guess we’ll start hearing that the First Amendment isn’t a personal right and was only intended to apply to State militia’s soon.
AUINSC on March 18, 2008 at 10:46 PM
Not rules. I’d say the problem is anonymity, but not sure how to remedy that.
Dash on March 18, 2008 at 10:47 PM
Kitchen must be getting hot….
d1carter on March 18, 2008 at 10:49 PM
Naaa. Free market is best.
jgapinoy on March 18, 2008 at 10:49 PM
Where is my favorite Internet Cop?
I haven’t seen her in a ling time! :{
Chakra Hammer on March 18, 2008 at 10:50 PM
long* even
Chakra Hammer on March 18, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Time to start re-defining the 1st amendment like they`re doing with the 2nd. “Well, freedom of speech, expression, religion, that`s more or less a guidline for proper public discourse, blah, blah, blah, smoke and mirrors, blah, blah, blah.”
ThePrez on March 18, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Amended that for you.
Frozen Tex on March 18, 2008 at 10:54 PM
The problem is people are thin-skinned babies. If you can’t voice your opinion and handle being disagreed with what good are you?
The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. – John Stuart Mill
blankminde on March 18, 2008 at 10:55 PM
SouthernGent on March 18, 2008 at 10:58 PM
Bull! This is just more of the print media fretting over their dwindling readership and pointing fingers at the blogosphere – which they fear. They wish to control the dialogue happening out here as they did in their nicely written columns, but they can’t. Good riddance, if that’s your true objective. They don’t understand that there is room for both. They fail to recognize their failings in the face of something they can neither control nor understand. A voice which desires to be heard will be heard – in one forum or another. Get used to it.
thedecider on March 18, 2008 at 10:59 PM
How about we just kick you off instead, Ed.
Process that.
MB4 on March 18, 2008 at 11:00 PM
Yes! The Founding Fathers never could have dreamed that one day American individuals would
when they wrote the First Amendment.
It’s so new to do such things, how could they have known?
29Victor on March 18, 2008 at 11:01 PM
Wasn’t this fellow demonstrating his ignorance of the web by his awkward approach with his antiquated concepts?
BL@KBIRD on March 18, 2008 at 11:02 PM
Verbal Socialism?
bloggless on March 18, 2008 at 11:03 PM
We need online Censorship
Posted on Mon, Mar. 17, 2008
BY EDWARD WASSERMAN
edward_wasserman@hotmail.com
Copyright 1996-2007 The Miami Herald Media Company
In other news, president Hussein Barack announced today that Great Britain is no more on the list of ‘Axis of Evil’ and that he ordered the Marines to be deployed in Northern Siberia to protect the oil fields against Global Warming.
Indy Conservative on March 18, 2008 at 11:05 PM
Verbal Facism.
ThePrez on March 18, 2008 at 11:05 PM
Cool! It will be the I’m OK-You’re OK amendment.
Limerick on March 18, 2008 at 11:07 PM
Three words:
Bleep off, brownshirt.
thirtypundit on March 18, 2008 at 11:08 PM
I thought that was a cunning use of “ling”. ;)
mikeyboss on March 18, 2008 at 11:11 PM
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech……”
read it and weep, you commie twerp
Janos Hunyadi on March 18, 2008 at 11:15 PM
Sigh za papers old man… I cant sign za papers… Why cantz you sign za papers old man, they only say that ve haz not hurt you in any vay… Because you have broken all my fingers…
doriangrey on March 18, 2008 at 11:16 PM
In a world where our judges are basing their decisions on foreign law, our Constitution is being considered an non-entity by people like him.
ThePrez on March 18, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Bollocks!
Tzetzes on March 18, 2008 at 11:20 PM
Soon just offending someone will be a capital crime.
infidel4life on March 18, 2008 at 11:20 PM
Water seeks it own level. When the level of discourse sinks below each person’s acceptable level, each is free to find another site. Granted we will still all make compromises, but let the individual make those determinations.
Spirit of 1776 on March 18, 2008 at 11:20 PM
Miami Herald: “We decide – you can keep your mouth shut”
Those pesky public comments are drowning out our diatribe.
imshocked on March 18, 2008 at 11:21 PM
How unliberal of you.
Limerick on March 18, 2008 at 11:22 PM
Screw you!!!! Oh my God, I can’t believe I said that.
YankeeinCA on March 18, 2008 at 11:23 PM
There, I`ve rendered your comments non-offensive. You can thank me later. :)
ThePrez on March 18, 2008 at 11:25 PM
That’s a European habit accelerated by the acceleration of the EU bureaucracy. Many state judges can be voted out of office, and every judicial decision can be overcome through legislative action–the next day, if Congress or a state legislature wants to make a point
John J. Bradley, posting as
Janos Hunyadi on March 18, 2008 at 11:26 PM
Heh. A charge I’ve had leveled at me before.
Spirit of 1776 on March 18, 2008 at 11:27 PM
Can’t have freedom of expression unless yer part of a militia. Any fool know this.
petefrt on March 18, 2008 at 11:32 PM
….from my cold dead
handserr…lips!Vntnrse on March 18, 2008 at 11:34 PM
.
NOW I’m pissed…off with your head!
shooter on March 18, 2008 at 11:42 PM
heh… just another attempt to silence the unsilent majority.
I made it to:
before I could stomach no more and stopped reading. What is repulsive? That we can no longer count on our journalists to tell us the whole truth? Not to get off topic, but would we have heard of Wright’s anti American statements if we didn’t have FoxNews or the internet? I bet not.
I grew up in a culture where knowledge was a good thing, and a lot of knowledge was a really good thing.
It’s completely comical that the Miami Herald advocates silencing the public. “View the news we see fit to print”. Give me a break, that’s how Jimmy Carter got elected, and we all know how well that worked out. Information is a good thing, more information is even better. It keeps the individual from being mislead or unduly manipulated, and that too is a great thing.
Hog Wild on March 18, 2008 at 11:47 PM
Anyone feel like double checking Hot Air’s “Terms of Use”?
hippiepunk on March 18, 2008 at 11:48 PM
wasserman writes:
“the extreme license given individuals to vent…”
this is DEAD WRONG.
we are BORN with the right to free speech; it is not licensed to us or granted to us by the state or anything/anyone.
it is universal and absolute.
reliapundit on March 18, 2008 at 11:50 PM
A typical plea by someone who is on the losing side of the political and intellectual debate once he has been confronted by f-a-c-t-s, logic and reason.
eanax on March 18, 2008 at 11:56 PM
Dear Ed Wasserman;
Fuck off.
Sincerely,
Saltysam
Saltysam on March 18, 2008 at 11:58 PM
We are endowed by our Creator with this ability, and the state’s role is to ensure those rights aren’t infringed.
eanax on March 18, 2008 at 11:58 PM
Good grief, W&L’s my alma mater, and Wasserman’s tarring it’s good name!
When I was at W&L some 30 years ago, it was (and still is, IMO) one fine college. But its journalism school (known affectionately then as the “J School”, not to be confused with the “G Spot”) was a standing joke among us normal science and humanities majors. It was where you went if you wanted easy grades and major meanwhile in underwater basket weaving. Need I add, easy grades were the operative attraction.
Wasserman’s lordly, condescending paternalism, where veracity is subservient to perceived moral superiority. is precisely why print MSM is on its last legs. Judging from his article, my guess is that Prof. Wasserman will be among the last to understand why the reputation of his trade is circling the drain.
Judging from his article, even the slowest wabbit could pass Wasserman tests.
petefrt on March 19, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Why would you be p****d off with his head? Oh. Forget it.
“[The Internet]‘s simple. Get to the weapons, use ‘em any way you can. I know you won’t break the rules – there aren’t any.”
inviolet on March 19, 2008 at 12:00 AM
I didn’t even read the passage or give a damn about the article and such. I’ve go my own quote of the day.
Since, there is and probably will be a dem house and senate after the fall election. I on my mother’s eyes and honor, do report that a Barak victory will drive me toward Iceland. Yes, Iceland. We haven’t had an unbridled Dem administration in a while. I won’t be part of this charade.
THE CHOSEN ONE on March 19, 2008 at 12:04 AM
Fairness doctrine, first thing on the McCain administration docket. Thanks guys!
spmat on March 19, 2008 at 12:07 AM
Cunning ling use?
carbon_footprint on March 19, 2008 at 12:12 AM
Hot Air: Terms of Use
Dear Ed Wasserman;
In regards to my previous letter, I refer you to the free market as exemplified by the civility that Hot Air demands at their website above.
Again…fuck off, and get a real job. I’ve never seen such pseudo-intelligence displayed in such raw form.
In fact, the mere suggestion that you believe that my, or anyone else’s opinions should be regulated by a governing authority higher than a blog administrator is highly offensive to my American blood.
Your words are nothing but bile…the sophisticated rantings of a loquacious dolt that loves to hear himself talk. Perhaps your ideas represent the only type of speech that should be outlawed.
Oh, yeah that’s right…it already is.
Saltysam on March 19, 2008 at 12:15 AM
I don’t like censorship either but what I got from the article is that some people online are so nasty, abusive scream loud, and are so vile that they chase away other people who might contribute but are too put off or intimidated. A person does not have to resort to cussing and abuse to get their point across if they are really looking for honest discussion.
I think HA’s terms of use are good and I’ve always felt that people who got banned were banned after several warnings received for good reason. One of the things I like about this site is we don’t disintegrate into gross vulgar nasty expression such as one finds on Daily Kos or Huff Post.
CCRWM on March 19, 2008 at 12:19 AM
CCRWM on March 19, 2008 at 12:19 AM
I hope you understand that my rare use of vulgarity above was properly placed for rhetorical reasons.
Saltysam on March 19, 2008 at 12:21 AM
I want to see everything in its most raw, vile, naked, and uncensored natural habitat.
Anyone that suggests otherwise is a mortal enemy.
Yes…like that idiotic fuckhead Bill O’Really
LimeyGeek on March 19, 2008 at 12:22 AM
I believe in taste and civility and…..freedom of speech. If people aren’t smart enough to figure out what they think, at least they can exercise their brain deciding who is right and who is wrong. Exercise is good.
KCB on March 19, 2008 at 12:34 AM
Ditto. Most center right to right sites are already pretty civil. Wassermann must be referring to Kos and Huff. Sure that’s it.
sanclemman on March 19, 2008 at 12:46 AM
Badges? We don’t need no stinkeen badges!
ronsfi on March 19, 2008 at 1:09 AM
How about just keeping discussions civil,
ban the idiot trolls that masquerade as
someone else,like Republicans on Hot Air,
but in actualality their leftys that have
nothing better to do but sh!t disturb!
canopfor on March 19, 2008 at 1:26 AM
How about you take your rules, fold them until they’re all corners and insert them roughly in your oubliette?
Respectfully,
mojo on March 19, 2008 at 1:40 AM
I wonder if this guy is afraid that dKos and Huffpo are going to carry some stuff that will really makes the Democrats look bad. He doesn’t realize that the vast majority of Americans will never care. He should try to relax and enjoy life.
snaggletoothie on March 19, 2008 at 1:42 AM
I say, let’s get started – first order of business, making up a set of rules for the rule makers.
shaken on March 19, 2008 at 1:54 AM
Funny how liberalism wants, claims and demands freedom.
Yet does it’s best to stifle it.
Liberal: Rules are made to be made up as I see fit.
Kini on March 19, 2008 at 2:02 AM
O.K… First Rule is we don’t talk about Rules. /s
x-wing on March 19, 2008 at 2:05 AM
Does someone want to ban dissent?
KCB on March 19, 2008 at 2:05 AM
Does someone want to ban dissent?
Sorry. Does it make sense now?
KCB on March 19, 2008 at 2:14 AM
They’re lefties…We do have sepelling and gramer rooles, ya no.
2Tru2Tru on March 19, 2008 at 2:26 AM
Are they talking about universities? You know, where everyone gets to speak their piece; Like Ann Coulter, David Horowitz and the border watch folks.
Johan Klaus on March 19, 2008 at 2:51 AM
Saltysam, watch the language! >:{
Chakra Hammer on March 19, 2008 at 3:05 AM
True. The market/societies have this thing called self regulation.
Ex. There is no law saying when dining at someone’s house that you can’t put your muddy boots on their table. It’s just not done. Shame from others can succeed when personal civility fails.
In other words. DON’T FEED THE TROLLS
- The Cat
P.S. Also like all the haters on YouTube. Enough people hit the thumbs down on a trolls comment and it gets burried.
P.P.S. This article is really about Leave my Dems alone.
MirCat on March 19, 2008 at 3:36 AM
P.P.P.S. That’s a take your shoes off when walking on the carpet rule. You can still would through your house(i.e. blog) with your shoes on. This guy wants to make it a rule not only where to wear your shoes but what kind of shoes they can be.
- The Cat
Oh, I’m all for outlawing birkenstocks.
MirCat on March 19, 2008 at 3:39 AM
To put it into real estate terms: in the last 3 months, quite a few threads on HotAir have gone from Beverly Hills to Compton. Maybe the rules serve a purpose.
I’m just sayin…
NightmareOnKStreet on March 19, 2008 at 4:18 AM
Yes! Guess who?!
OldEnglish on March 19, 2008 at 4:23 AM
what a surprise! the old media wants to muzzle the new.
you could set your watch by the timing of this bulls**t.
keep your eyes peeled for more creeping smiley-faced fascism.
homesickamerican on March 19, 2008 at 4:30 AM
LAST! Haha! (Wasn’t it just a couple of months ago that either Bryan or AP threatened to ban some posters for writing “FIRST!!!”? Wow, we’ve come a long way! /sarcasm off
dKos, HuffPo, et al will have plently of ammo to shield them against criticism for their ignorant, pointless and hateful rants when the election gets closer. Their trolls have succeeded in infiltrating many conservative sites for that very purpose. Tsk tsk… you’ve been warned.
NightmareOnKStreet on March 19, 2008 at 4:35 AM
“We still know what is best for you, you loud mouthed uneducated fly-over country cretins…”
Speech codes al la universities, allowing those that can only muster weakly substantiated drivel based on “feelings” to be expressed without counter point. We wouldn’t want to chill the voice of the weak with real debate would we….
lpierson on March 19, 2008 at 4:36 AM
my post won’t “take” here, so I’m putting it on another thread. someone can move it for me later if they’d like. LOL. I’ve got to leave now.
NightmareOnKStreet on March 19, 2008 at 6:01 AM
What do we have space limits now TOO? I’ll try posting it in pieces just to convince myself there’s no censorship going on here. Cue the Twilight Zone theme.
Something wrong with this site? This is the 7th time I’ve tried to post and it isn’t showing up but the preview is working so it’s not my computer. (Sorry in advance if my post ends up here multiple times.) Site problems? or CENSORSHIP??? Ooohh. I see a HotAir truthers movement on the horizon…
NightmareOnKStreet on March 19, 2008 at 6:05 AM
What Wasserman is saying is the left only wants to read on the internet what they agree with.
No Ed, you are a wrong stupid fascist. Get the hell off the net of you dont like it.
dogsoldier on March 19, 2008 at 6:06 AM
No need to hold back here, dear. It’s perfectly ok now to say bullshit. Why even George Carlin’s 7-words-you-can’t-say-on-tv are fairgame. No need to fear the creeping smiley-faced fascists here. We can crawl down the ladder of evolution without fanfare. Why don’t we have a name calling contest and put it all out there. Purge ourselves, VENT!
NightmareOnKStreet on March 19, 2008 at 6:06 AM
THANK YOU.
NightmareOnKStreet on March 19, 2008 at 6:17 AM
…”to kick off the process of writing them.” Sorry Ed, you’re wrong. What you want now used to be called “decorum”, but the left dispensed with that long ago.
Bootleghooch on March 19, 2008 at 6:28 AM
There are rules. This site posts them right on the top of the page. If I violate them, my posting rights will be suspended. I have been posting at FR for years, and have had posts pulled, and have requested to have other posts pulled, frequently. Only been banned once, but that was really my fault.
Each site has it’s own rules that reflect it’s own character. This results in a wide variety of opinion and style. This is a good thing.
Now, flame away if you want! I have yet to be singed by an online exchange.
gridlock2 on March 19, 2008 at 7:26 AM
Further evidence of liberal facism, you can bet the only things they will censor will be things that don’t conform to their socialist views.
—First Lady Hillary Clinton, in 1998, days after the Monica Lewinsky story was reported on the Drudge Report
Alden Pyle on March 19, 2008 at 7:37 AM
We gots rules. The rule of the jungle. Those who can articulate a strong argument kill and eat those who are whiney little mama’s boys, then sh*t them out for the plants and fungi to consume.
Immolate on March 19, 2008 at 7:49 AM
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at the many negative reactions to his article. Those who can make a case without resorting to cursing, denigrating or insulting others will generally have the best chance of successfully persuading someone to their way of thinking.
The anonymity of the internet has unleashed a habit of throwing away basic civility by many people. They probably would never act that way in public. I am scratching my head at the comments that say he is encouraging censorship.
Everyone was bemoaning the loss of Buckley and praising his eloquence. I guess striving to be on that level is not a worthy goal anymore….
Bradky on March 19, 2008 at 7:55 AM
Jonah Goldberg is right.
N. O'Brain on March 19, 2008 at 8:22 AM
The problem is, The Wedge Syndrome. First you apply the wedge, then you split it wider until it’s split in two. Once you’ve done that, you can then discard the bit you don’t want. Trouble is, everyone has a different idea as to what they want to keep, but won’t allow anyone else to make a different choice.
OldEnglish on March 19, 2008 at 8:38 AM
And whom is the great arbitrator of these rules? The people who run the NYT, the politicians we vote in?
Journalists? Military? Scientists? Song writers? Unemployed? CEO’s?
Everyone has an opinion, so have them voice the opinion. If they want to do it and not put there name to it, then let them. You have the right not to visit those sites, listen to those opinions.
Basically what people are stating is that if they don’t like what is being said, stop those people from speaking.
If dKos wants to print garbage, let him, and we can print what we want and make fun of him.
The problem isn’t what is posted, it is what isn’t posted. As long as there is a counter-balance, fairness and honesty will prevail.
Case in point is the many “photos” that were fauxtos. With what some are proposing, those fake photos would still be around. The people who took them to task were immediately vilified.
Taking Dan Rather and CBS to task would not have been possible without the maverick web…the list is endless. That is what they really want to stop (the journalist) for the first time, are held to a higher standard of accuracy. And that bothers them…they are used to story telling, and that doesn’t cut it anymore.
right2bright on March 19, 2008 at 8:52 AM
I don’t know what Wasserman thinks he can add to an arrangement in which Allahpundit, Ed, and Michelle have entire editorial freedom regarding comments on the site. Does he imagine himself telling them how to edit their site? In his own mind, is he in charge of purging their membership roll? Does he expect them to sit still while he does it? It seems much more could be made of the circumstance that little fuehrers like Wasserman are really contemplating attacks on the freedoms of editors, publishers, and owners.
Kralizec on March 19, 2008 at 10:19 AM
I regsitered with the paper’s website, just so I could post THIS:
I doubt he will listen, but it needed to be said.
wearyman on March 19, 2008 at 10:29 AM
And this reminds me. All you registered HotHeads who read but seldom comment, please participate. Help our site become more expansive and more robust with your sound and worthwhile thoughts. Let’s prove Edward Wasserman wrong!
RushBaby on March 19, 2008 at 11:28 AM
It really is too much to bear to read this from a journalist. First we have to listen to their nonstop whining about how the first amendment gives them absolute immunity from having to testify in court–or indeed from having any of the obligations of a regular citizen–then we get a lecture about our duties as citizens. This clown should be laughed off the stage and told to get back on his journey to the well deserved oblivion that he and his fellow journalists are taking.
student on March 20, 2008 at 11:26 AM