Thursday, April 27, 2006
Max has been very naughty
As you have probably heard by now, the office of Governor Mike Huckabee has cut off Arkansas Times from its' list of working press to receive releases, schedules, and notices of interview availabilities. It may seem like a small thing, and seems indicative of the Governor's frequent pouty responses to legitimate criticism.
This has gotten a lot of discussion on the Arkansas Times blog.
This decision is more dangerous than may be immediately apparent, and let me explain.
There is a disturbing tendency among Soviet tyrants, Red Chinese dictators, European socialist elites, and other enemies of freedom to license and, thereby, control the free flow of information. By making an arbitrary and unnecessary judgment that a certain publication does not fit into some obviously elastic definition of "news organization," government attempts to exclude those with opinions which are inconvenient to the ruling party.
Journalism is, rightly, not a profession in the sense that medicine, law and accounting are practiced. We do not require specific academic credentials, we do not test our own members, nor are journalists subject to peer review. Any of this would be entirely subjective and the result would be nothing but a non-stop dog fight.
The freelance journalist, a category into which I fall, should have as much right to official timely information as the corporate giants.
It is a dangerous practice, and entirely against the notion of press freedom or free speech, for government to decide who shall get information. In other parts of the world, this technique is routinely used to silence press opposition. That means that the public only ever hears a certain "safe" and narrow perspective.
The founders,in their vast wisdom, left policing the press to the sovereign people and not the temporary office holders.
This has gotten a lot of discussion on the Arkansas Times blog.
This decision is more dangerous than may be immediately apparent, and let me explain.
There is a disturbing tendency among Soviet tyrants, Red Chinese dictators, European socialist elites, and other enemies of freedom to license and, thereby, control the free flow of information. By making an arbitrary and unnecessary judgment that a certain publication does not fit into some obviously elastic definition of "news organization," government attempts to exclude those with opinions which are inconvenient to the ruling party.
Journalism is, rightly, not a profession in the sense that medicine, law and accounting are practiced. We do not require specific academic credentials, we do not test our own members, nor are journalists subject to peer review. Any of this would be entirely subjective and the result would be nothing but a non-stop dog fight.
The freelance journalist, a category into which I fall, should have as much right to official timely information as the corporate giants.
It is a dangerous practice, and entirely against the notion of press freedom or free speech, for government to decide who shall get information. In other parts of the world, this technique is routinely used to silence press opposition. That means that the public only ever hears a certain "safe" and narrow perspective.
The founders,in their vast wisdom, left policing the press to the sovereign people and not the temporary office holders.
Comments:
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Max has been very naughty
As you have probably heard by now, the office of Governor Mike Huckabee has cut off Arkansas Times from its' list of working press to receive releases, schedules, and notices of interview availabilities. It may seem like a small thing, and seems indicative of the Governor's frequent pouty responses to legitimate criticism.
This has gotten a lot of discussion on the Arkansas Times blog.
This decision is more dangerous than may be immediately apparent, and let me explain.
There is a disturbing tendency among Soviet tyrants, Red Chinese dictators, European socialist elites, and other enemies of freedom to license and, thereby, control the free flow of information. By making an arbitrary and unnecessary judgment that a certain publication does not fit into some obviously elastic definition of "news organization," government attempts to exclude those with opinions which are inconvenient to the ruling party.
Journalism is, rightly, not a profession in the sense that medicine, law and accounting are practiced. We do not require specific academic credentials, we do not test our own members, nor are journalists subject to peer review. Any of this would be entirely subjective and the result would be nothing but a non-stop dog fight.
The freelance journalist, a category into which I fall, should have as much right to official timely information as the corporate giants.
It is a dangerous practice, and entirely against the notion of press freedom or free speech, for government to decide who shall get information. In other parts of the world, this technique is routinely used to silence press opposition. That means that the public only ever hears a certain "safe" and narrow perspective.
The founders,in their vast wisdom, left policing the press to the sovereign people and not the temporary office holders.
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What an incredibly odious piece of hypocrisy you are, Mr. Lynch! You have enjoyed limiting free expression of ideas throughout your pitiful radio career while basking in your all-too-frequent episodes of belittling callers and critics. Yesterday you deleted the following comment I posted on your blog ....a blog that only rarely includes any comments except those generated by your own pathetic bloviations and pompous ignorance:
Patrick,
Kudos to you for your right-on rant about the greed of Blue Cross / Blue Shield.Most corporations in our beloved former republic are, of course, equally guilty. The shame is that someday you will be forced to present ads other than those featuring " passing gas " and the American Taikwondo Assn., but I repeat myself. Hopefully you'll be as courageous when you can no longer depend upon charity, PSAs, and the rare " real commercial "! Roy
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Someone once issued a warning related to freedom of expression of which you might also benefit being reminded:
There is a disturbing tendency among Soviet tyrants, Red Chinese dictators, European socialist elites, and other enemies of freedom to license and, thereby, control the free flow of information.Is it not time for Mr. Lynch to choose "the free flow of information" over his own petulance and " frequent pouty responses to legitimate criticism"? Roy Murtishaw
Pine Bluff, AR
As you have probably heard by now, the office of Governor Mike Huckabee has cut off Arkansas Times from its' list of working press to receive releases, schedules, and notices of interview availabilities. It may seem like a small thing, and seems indicative of the Governor's frequent pouty responses to legitimate criticism.
This has gotten a lot of discussion on the Arkansas Times blog.
This decision is more dangerous than may be immediately apparent, and let me explain.
There is a disturbing tendency among Soviet tyrants, Red Chinese dictators, European socialist elites, and other enemies of freedom to license and, thereby, control the free flow of information. By making an arbitrary and unnecessary judgment that a certain publication does not fit into some obviously elastic definition of "news organization," government attempts to exclude those with opinions which are inconvenient to the ruling party.
Journalism is, rightly, not a profession in the sense that medicine, law and accounting are practiced. We do not require specific academic credentials, we do not test our own members, nor are journalists subject to peer review. Any of this would be entirely subjective and the result would be nothing but a non-stop dog fight.
The freelance journalist, a category into which I fall, should have as much right to official timely information as the corporate giants.
It is a dangerous practice, and entirely against the notion of press freedom or free speech, for government to decide who shall get information. In other parts of the world, this technique is routinely used to silence press opposition. That means that the public only ever hears a certain "safe" and narrow perspective.
The founders,in their vast wisdom, left policing the press to the sovereign people and not the temporary office holders.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What an incredibly odious piece of hypocrisy you are, Mr. Lynch! You have enjoyed limiting free expression of ideas throughout your pitiful radio career while basking in your all-too-frequent episodes of belittling callers and critics. Yesterday you deleted the following comment I posted on your blog ....a blog that only rarely includes any comments except those generated by your own pathetic bloviations and pompous ignorance:
Patrick,
Kudos to you for your right-on rant about the greed of Blue Cross / Blue Shield.Most corporations in our beloved former republic are, of course, equally guilty. The shame is that someday you will be forced to present ads other than those featuring " passing gas " and the American Taikwondo Assn., but I repeat myself. Hopefully you'll be as courageous when you can no longer depend upon charity, PSAs, and the rare " real commercial "! Roy
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Someone once issued a warning related to freedom of expression of which you might also benefit being reminded:
There is a disturbing tendency among Soviet tyrants, Red Chinese dictators, European socialist elites, and other enemies of freedom to license and, thereby, control the free flow of information.Is it not time for Mr. Lynch to choose "the free flow of information" over his own petulance and " frequent pouty responses to legitimate criticism"? Roy Murtishaw
Pine Bluff, AR
# posted by 
: 3:29 AM
: 3:29 AM
Dear faithful and highly intelligent contributor,
It was wholly a pleasure to see your misinformed post on my blog. Thanks for the time and trouble. I am sure it took hours to compose.
When I exercise ordinary editorial rights, I use the same First Amendment freedom available to the Democrat-Gazette or Arkansas Times to remove whatever in my sole judgement seems unnecessary. I promise they do not print every letter to the editor without some scrutiny. I will not allow anybody to attack the companies with which I have business connections. Period.
Your concise and generally perceptive contributions are typically a source of inspiration to all who visit here and I am most grateful.
Thanks for the many loyal postings. Your humble servant,
Pat Lynch
It was wholly a pleasure to see your misinformed post on my blog. Thanks for the time and trouble. I am sure it took hours to compose.
When I exercise ordinary editorial rights, I use the same First Amendment freedom available to the Democrat-Gazette or Arkansas Times to remove whatever in my sole judgement seems unnecessary. I promise they do not print every letter to the editor without some scrutiny. I will not allow anybody to attack the companies with which I have business connections. Period.
Your concise and generally perceptive contributions are typically a source of inspiration to all who visit here and I am most grateful.
Thanks for the many loyal postings. Your humble servant,
Pat Lynch
Dear Patrick,
It's all about judgement and doing the " right thing "! It's NOT about,in my "faithful and highly intelligent" --- not to mention "concise and generally perceptive" opinions that "are typically a source of inspiration to all", about hair-splitting regarding First Amendment freedom.
It's said religion is often the refuge of scoundrels. One might expand the refuge to include pompous,sarcastic legalism. See you at the refuge, Patrick!
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It's all about judgement and doing the " right thing "! It's NOT about,in my "faithful and highly intelligent" --- not to mention "concise and generally perceptive" opinions that "are typically a source of inspiration to all", about hair-splitting regarding First Amendment freedom.
It's said religion is often the refuge of scoundrels. One might expand the refuge to include pompous,sarcastic legalism. See you at the refuge, Patrick!
# posted by : 11:20 AM
: 11:20 AM<< Home
