Please, Tangle With Us
February 15, 2005
Ugh. No offense to Kevin Aylward, but the conclusion that any reasonable newspaper editor would draw from the letter from which I drew that quote is that bloggers are bullying thugs.
The letter came in response to some general cluelessness about fair use from a newspaper that had been quoted by a blogger. Instead of mailing the editor and saying "your legal folks are being heavy handed, I'm sure you understand fair use, why don't you cut the guy a break" we're getting a not-even-veiled threat.
This isn't what blogging's about, it isn't using the medium to its best, and since Kevin runs one of the more popular blogging awards, I'm sure he knows how great blogs can be. I'd urge Kevin and his community to show them bloggers can be more thoughtful than print journalists, not less.
(Offered as proof that I might be right on this one, crazy extremist Michelle Malkin linked to the letter. Regardless of your political beliefs, if someone as antagonistic and shrill as Malkin agrees with you, you may be off track.)
Kevin, as context, you should understand that I'm using this as an example to demonstrate that we should be trying to have a more thoughtful blogosphere, instead of descending into the simplistic us-vs-them which we all resent so much in traditional media. I'd be glad to help if you want to send a revised letter to Mr. Bair.
5:20 PM
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Every once in a while, some media outlet or another gets a burr under their saddle and tries to start controlling who links to their website. This time, it's the Tulsa World, which sent a cease-and-desist letter to blogger Michael Bates (and one other ... Read More
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Wasted words, Anil. Aylward's a hardcore koolaid drinker.
I wouldn't say wasted words - I enjoyed them! - but I'm sure Kevin was tickled pink to have Malkin on board.
You write: "I'd urge Kevin and his community to show them bloggers can be more thoughtful than print journalists, not less."
While I agree with your assertion that there is a right and a wrong way to get things done, I feel that in some ways you have confused blogging (the medium) with bloggers (the people). No certain type of person blogs and therefore bloggers will be more thoughtful, less thoughtful, more rude, less rude, more accurate, and less accurate than any one of the billions of people that are currently walking around thinking thoughts and finding ways to express them.
Blogging exposes both a person's virtues and their foibles. Bad will always come with the good.
You write: "I'd urge Kevin and his community to show them bloggers can be more thoughtful than print journalists, not less."
While I agree with your assertion that there is a right and a wrong way to get things done, I feel that in some ways you have confused blogging (the medium) with bloggers (the people). No certain type of person blogs and therefore bloggers will be more thoughtful, less thoughtful, more rude, less rude, more accurate, and less accurate than any one of the billions of people that are currently walking around thinking thoughts and finding ways to express them.
Blogging exposes both a person's virtues and their foibles. Bad will always come with the good.
And God help us if people start reading the comments on Wizbang as somehow representative of the blogosphere's dialogues ... their commenters make Michelle Malkin look like a hippie.
Quote A: "I'd urge Kevin and his community to show them bloggers can be more thoughtful than print journalists, not less."
Quote B: "...crazy extremist Michelle Malkin linked to the letter... if someone as antagonistic and shrill as Malkin agrees with you, you may be off track."
Okay, I'm confused, are we thoughtful and tolerant or not...? ;-)