I think we have to. Don’t we?
This is what prompted the thought. We are beginning to see what one’s past will do to one in politics in the blogging age. But the complaint was:
An angry Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, which counts 350,000 members, criticized Edwards for not firing the two bloggers. Donohue also promised a nationwide public relations campaign in newspapers, magazines and Catholic publications to tell voters what the candidate had done.
“When Mel Gibson got drunk and made anti-Semitic remarks, he paid a price for doing so. When Michael Richards got angry and made racist remarks, he paid a price for doing so. … But John Edwards thinks the same rules don’t apply to him, which is why he has chosen to embrace foul-mouthed, anti-Catholic bigots on his payroll,” Donohue said.
This is what I mean. To recite a lesson I’m beginning to learn: nothing is worse in the face of a hostile audience than acting outraged in the face of outrageous behavior. You only look like a whiner. And the media will paint you as “angry” unless you’re positively cheerful.
While Donohue has to deal with different sorts of communication venues, so I’m not criticizing him for being unable to do this, I personally think Dawn Eden’s approach is great because she writes as if she’s laughing about it.
Pandagon blogger Amanda Marcotte, a familiar name to readers of this blog, whose online persona caused controversy after John Edwards hired her as his campaign blogmistress, has issued an apology of sorts:
My writings on my personal blog Pandagon on the issue of religion are generally satirical in nature and always intended strictly as a criticism of public policies and politics. My intention is never to offend anyone for his or her personal beliefs, and I am sorry if anyone was personally offended by writings meant only as criticisms of public politics. Freedom of religion and freedom of expression are central rights, and the sum of my personal writings is a testament to this fact.
I guess it’s nice to know that all those times her blog referred to Our Lord and Saviour as “Jeebus” — in 114 blog entries to date (the most recent last Sunday) — she was only kidding.
A search of Pandagon archives shows that Amanda has yet to devise a similarly ha-ha name for Mohammed. Well, give her time; she’s been on the Edwards campaign for only a week and a half.
And yeah, I’m sure this is a lesson I should learn. I know. Here’s my first baby step.
🙂
Her not apologizing for the Mohammed cracks is part of Edwards strategy to look “tough on terrorism.”
I just want one good candidate to vote for in 2008 – I don’t even care what party they are in.
Ha! I’m even cynical about Reagan. Where’s that leave me?
I’ve long thought that the “double standard” argument is a losing one. It sounds whiny, and it only puts you in the position of defending what you’re supposed to agree is unacceptable as being “not as bad as.”
Besides, doesn’t it fly in the face of the admonition of not complaining when we’re suffering for doing right, let alone wrong? I can’t remember the scripture, exactly, but it’s I’m pretty sure the author is strongly implying that we have absolutely no grounds to complain about anything if we’re suffering for doing wrong.
We should all wage a Joel Garver write-in campaign.
Man, you have to be a bigger believer in miracles than me to hope for that.
(OK, cynicism unveiled to reveal horrible nostalgia: I really miss Reagan).
Joel, I had plenty of cynicism for Reagan.
But now looking back on it there were some things he did and said that were just marvelous. Then I expected that as the norm and didn’t allow it to give him much credit.
But it ain’t the norm anymore.
Looking back, all my 80s nostalgia involves the Smiths, David Bowie, New Wave, and a strange combination of Blade Runner, Brazil, and John Hughes films. I suppose Reagan might fit in there somewhere. 🙂
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Brazil?! I didn’t know anyone else saw that flick besides me.
My favorite movie for a long time.
When Mark and I were “just friends” and I was hoping for more, he convinced me that Brazil was a movie I would enjoy. He even mentioned some “romance” being in it when he suggested we watch it. A few years later after when I worked for Thomas Nelson, he got into this long discussion with my boss about the movie. My boss also “loved Brazil.” I think it is science fiction nerds who find this movie appealing. I can say that because I am married to one 😉
I just had to say that I’m also a big fan of “Brazil.” The terrorist plot strand looks prophetic now. Like Jeff, I didn’t know anybody else liked it. I’ve never watched that film with a single Christian who didn’t declare it to be “awful” or some other really negative assessment.
BTW, David Bowie’s *Aladdin Sane* rocks really hard. Especially track 9, with the rattlesnake rattle over the opening guitar riff.