We need thoughtful criticism, not knee-jerk media bashing
Dallas Morning News
"Whether you are on the right or the left, take off the media conspiracy goggles," writes Steve Blow. "They distort everything. The same reporters and editors are on the job today as when [President] Bush had some of the highest approval ratings in history. There wasn't a conspiracy to pump him up then. There's no conspiracy to bring him down now."
Posted at 9:36:00 AM
E-mail this item QuickLink this item: A99878
[Item from Romeneskso media column at PoynterOnline.]
Yes, the same ones are "on the job." Including Blow, who in 2003, compared protestors against the war to traitors. Two readers wonder if, as long as he's weighing in on the past, Blow can explain how people identified as being pro-peace or anti-Bush (or both) ended up being trashed, we're sure it was an accident, in local columns? The Dixie Chicks? Michael Moore? Moore's Oscar acceptance speech took place in Dallas? We're confused. But so was the columnist who said she'd rather watch sports than the Oscars when she attempted to navigate the topic for readers.
Hey, so eager was the Dallas Morning News to trash Sheryl Crow (for the peace guitar strap?) that they invented a claim of how Christina A should have had Crow's Grammy nomination that year -- even though the big A wasn't eligible due to release date rules!
Best of all may have been an insulting column that (mis)informed readers that women in India wear the "dot" on the forehead to signify their marital status.
Those freaky columnists -- proving yet again that those with brain wave patterns need not to apply to many of our daily papers.
Blow, who's dubbed "Hippie With A Hard On For War" by readers Casey and Heather who e-mailed the item, was a war cheerleader from the start. A recent column on Falluja also caused eye rolls. Where there's blood and destruction, Casey and Heather write, "There's Blow, toking up on the buzz of a good bloodletting."
Blow has wondered, publicly, "how we ended up so polarized"? Maybe because of his and his cohorts "accidental" but consistent attacks on any who questioned the war?