In what is billed as an “Exclusive!!!!” (but, then, what isn’t at the Brad Blog? Is it like an IMPORTANT ACTION ALERT?) Brad Friedman takes issue with exposing the death threats that were directed at Michelle Malkin and Bill O’Reilly (and here) saying “hey, reich wingers do it too!” Exclusive: Death Threats Against Obama and ‘Traitorous Liberals’ Posted On Rightwing O’Reilly Contributor’s Website
On Wednesday night, Fox “News'” Bill O’Reilly continued his dishonest and deceptive attacks on websites, such as Huffington Post and Daily Kos, which he misleadingly describes as “hate sites” featuring “vicious far-left attacks” as based on selective reader comments he’s discovered posted on those sites.
Yes, misleadingly. Because wishing death on the president, Dick Cheney, Laura Bush, and other conservatives, not too mention Kos’ “screw ’em” comment, among others. And having to close your comments when something bad happens to a conservative because you are worried about what your commenter’s might write surely doesn’t tell us anything, right?
Failing to note any distinction between actual articles posted by contributors to the two sites versus comments from anonymous and pseudonymous users, O’Reilly accuses “bloggers” at the two sites of posting “despicable” material, even though it’s unknown whether the commenter’s in question are actually rightwing posters, or even O’Reilly supporters, writing under a pseudonym. The entire segment is posted at left, as recorded yesterday by The BRAD BLOG’s Alan Breslauer.
Brad has a point. But, a site gets the type of comments it allows and solicits. If you allow the nuttiest, most disgusting lefties to continuously leave those types of comments, more will show up.
But O’Reilly and Carpenter clearly have been protesting a bit too much, as it turns out Carpenter’s own website is guilty of the same — and even far worse — “vicious” attacks, and potentially even illegal ones, including death threats issued against Barack Obama and “traitorous liberals.”
You can read a few of them at the Brad Blog, and, I in no way condone nor approve of those types of comments, whether coming from the Left or Right.
However, let me put it this way: Brad finds a handful of nasty comments at a right wing site. Give me 30 minutes and I will have find dozens, if not hundreds from left wing sites, without even looking that hard.
And, where was Brad when all the assassination chic was running rampant through the progressive community? How about Randi Rhodes’ assassination skits? Can’t find a post on that, bub.
Still and all, too many people use the Internet and get all brave when they are anonymous (and, yes, you can actually find my real name on one of my pages.)
