Today's world silencing conservatives?
 

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...d=970599119419

Do you think Focus on the Family has the right to put up ads like this? Do you think being too PC silences some conservatives?

This editorial also appeared in today's paper:

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...l=968350116795

Yes.

Of course they have that right. And yes, I think that being too PC silences some conservatives.

Sure, being PC silences Conservatives. One need look no further than GC. Certain members, Tom Earp, Hoosier, sometimes myself catch a little hell for having views that don't step in line with PC-ness. People are throwing around the words like bigot, racist, etc. pretty easily these days -- so much so, that I don't know if they'd know the real thing if they saw it.

I think "being PC" (a catch-all term which is often a huge cop-out) affects everyone, not just conservatives.

I also think that "conservative" broadcasters such as Rush and a number of others have managed to "bully" listeners and guests for the past several years by basically "out yelling" them. Even when I agree with them, I really hate that technique.

I'd sure like to see a little more ballance (not the kind Fox News claims) in presentation.

While being PC probably does silence some conservatives, it is possible to say what you feel, think, believe in whithout being hateful.

It all depends on where you are. Here, for example. Conservatives are never silenced, because they are the majority. I see tons of pro-life and religious ads. Sunday morning TV is nothing but church services, even on cable (with a few exceptions, of course!). There are billboards and signs touting traditionally conservative values and causes. When politicians run for office here, they sling mud by calling their opponent "liberal". I wish I were kidding.
I can see that in other areas of the country that conservatives would feel silenced. Here, that's definitely not the case.

No.

You can say you disagree with something without getting offensive. You can dislike without hating. These are all fine lines.

-Rudey

The ad is nothing more than a mom, a dad and a little kid. What's wrong with that, anyway? I'm wondering, would people be just as upset if the family wasn't white?

If you would actually watch a Fox News Report, you would see that they consistently report on breaking news from an actual fair and balanced perspective. Do not judge their objectivity simply because Sean Hannity is moderator for one particular show. They are the best cable news channel out there, and the ratings prove it. Always reporting EVERY story, not picking and choosing what fits their agenda like some other networks.

They get a hard time from the press b/c they don't follow the conventional tradition of bashing anything to the right of Susan Sarandon. They are not conservative, they just do not ignore the conservative voice, which angers the elite media, who have done this for quite some time.

I haven't found them to exactly live up to their motto: "we report, you decide." For instance, this comment from an anchor (I think it was the daytime anchor, David Asman):

I won't deny that many, many Americans are uninformed, but whether or not that statement is fair and balanced....?

You know the quote by heart evidently, but not the anchor for sure?

Was someone just posting something they saw on another website?

-Rudey

Actually, Fox News is the only major news network where former employees have actually accused the station of promoting an agenda. As we've discussed in other threads on GC, other major news networks may appear to promote agendas because the journalists themselves, not the network, spin pieces a certain way. But Fox News is the only one where the directions to spin a report come from the higher-ups.

That's another issue for another thread though.

Of course PC-ness silences conservatives. It also silences liberals. I don't think there's anybody who's unaffected by PC-ness.

I agree with those who have said that there's a difference between expressing disapproval and spreading hate propaganda. If the group in question is really about "protecting marriage and protecting family" they can do that without hate.

I agree. However, even when a conservative individual chooses their words in a non-hateful way, they are accused of bigotry. If to them "protecting marriage and protecting family" involves being against homosexuality and they state that in a way that is not rude or disrespectful, then that should be okay. But regardless of how it is said, it's un-PC.

I don't know, Heather. I don't agree with what you think, but if you are just expressing your opinion - without screaming that all gays are going to hell - I can listen and know that we just don't agree.

However, people standing outside a city hall in Mass. screaming to a newly married gay couple on what should be the happiest day of their life that they will burn in hell - I feel that's just not right.

Kudos to Rudy:
and Lady Pi Phi

Krazy,

I not only watch FOX News sometimes, I've met their president, I know their national Production Manager and their National Operations Manager. I visit their headquarters to say hello almost every time I'm in New York.

The fact is that they have an extremely conservative bent due to their ownership (Rupert Murdock, who wasn't even an Americqan Citizen until he had to become one in order to own "on air" broadcast properties) and the fact that Roger Ailes, the president (and a fellow Ohio University graduate) is a former media advisor for Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford with pretty close ties to the Regan Administration as well.

Their coverage is NOT ballanced -- unless you happen to be in line with them politically and don't want to see both sides of the issue. There is a definite conservative agenda -- which is OK, as long as you don't try to hide it behind the veil of "ballanced" journalism.

And that's great that you can accept that we don't agree without calling me names, etc etc. There are definitely mature people who can handle the fact that people will carry differing viewpoints. However, there are also a large number of people who will berate a conservative individual for not agreeing with homosexuality. I'm not referring to the crazies that stand outside of city hall screaming that the gays are going to hell either. Obviously that's going to start a fight. But people who calmly state their opinion still get called a bigot.

Cosign the above and ktsnake's first post.
And for the original question: yes.

--add

DeltAlum... I have gathered from our numerous debates that you are not only very experienced in the world of journalism, but probably rather succesful as well. That said, I have to repectfully disagree with you. I understand that they have a conservative president and founder, but Murdoch owns many liberal media outlets as well. I feel like FNC gets labelled "Conservative" all the time simply b/c they do not ignore the conservative voice. I hear liberal opinion ALL the time on FNC. All the time. Who would you say offers a more balanced view of the news? Certainly not CNN or the nets...

Krazy,

Happy to have a friendly disagreement, but Ailes admits the conservative bent, unfortunately off the record so it can't come back and bite him in his rather generous behind. (He's a very large man.)

Don't get me wrong, I'm not great buddies with Roger (as I am with some of the underlings), and he's a nice guy to chat with, etc. But he purposely runs a very conservative news organization. And that just isn't "balanced."

(As a sidbar, it's interesting that Ailes and David Wilhelm, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee hail from the same Alma Mater. Wilhelm is a graduate and his father was head of the J-School there for a while)

At least "think tank" kinds of organizations label themselves as conservative or liberal.

I still contest that if FOX NewsChannel were an on air organization as oppossed to cable, they would have substantial Communications Act issues.

I will admit, however, that they have been offering more opportunities to the "other side" within the past few months. (Read that, at least "some" opportunities) Maybe there's hope for them.

Well, I hope they continue to offer those opportunities, because I enjoy their personalities, as well as their coverage. I appreciate your info... people get so geared up around here sometimes, it is nice to have a civil debate, LOL.

I just get so upset when some of the other cable Newsrooms like CNN ignore stories like the sarin gas... It wasn't even on their website. That, to me, is crazy. Is there a reason they are so hesitant to highlight these stories? I mean, it is important for Americans to know these things. I feel like they have ruined their credibility, they used to be a quality shop...

Not really on topic, but in reference to Fox News, I noticed in their suggested reading some "anti-Bush" books. So they do offer a somewhat balanced view.

Co-sign. I'm so fed up with some of the things going on in my area right now that I could scream. However, when I and others attempt to express our viewpoints on certain issues, people label us as bigots simply because we have a "non-PC" view. It's very frustrating.

Agreed. I watch Bill O'reilly and Hannity & Combs almost every night. I may watch a few minutes of Greta Van Sustren's (sp, I know) show but mainly the first two. From the topics each choose to discuss to the guests they bring on, it's pretty much one-sided. It's also very creative "journalism". They always seem to bring guests on who, when presenting the opposing viewpoint, do so with flimsy and easily discreditable arguments just so that they are seen as the "correct" or more logical proponents. It'a actually really silly and anyone who has somewhat of an objective eye and enough of their own brain power to function can see through it.

I've seen them do that too, but they do it to inflame the emotions of their viewers and fellow ideologues.