The press and the First Amendment

Here's something we'll be discussing soon: how far does the First Amendment's protection of a free press go?

In which Glenn Beck and Bill Kristol recreate the past

This story exposes a deeper fissure within present-day American conservatism. It's more than Beck saying controversial things (though it's certainly that, too). Beck has now become the best exemplar of what historian Richard Hofstadter termed "the paranoid style."

Along with Sarah Palin, Beck can lead his followers to believe the most outlandish theories - perhaps Bill Ayers really is in league with the Muslim Brotherhood and bin-Laden and the Iranian theocracy! Like the John Birch society before it, this conspiracy-minded way of thinking probably comes with an expiration date, because of the harm it does to mainstream conservatives who are trying to fashion a rational alternative to President Obama.

Kristol and Lowry, representing the William F. Buckley, Jr., wing of the movement, are doing their level best to save conservatism from itself.

If you can't beat 'em...

... go on them during the Super Bowl.

FOXNews and Biblical translation

I guess FOXNews didn't get the memo that there are several dozen translations of the Bible (including one in Klingon!).

The New York Times makes me say, huh?

I don't understand the point of this article at all. The title of it, "For Tucson Survivors, Health Care Cost is Concern," makes it sound like the survivors of the shooting attack are facing large medical bills that they can't pay. But the third paragraph says, "But despite the fears of some victims, it does not appear that the shooting will ruin anyone financially. Interviews with victims as well as advocates assisting them suggest that most, if not all, of the 13 people wounded that morning had health insurance, and health care providers say they expect insurance companies to cover the bulk of the medical costs."

And: "On top of that, the fact that federal charges have been filed against Jared L. Loughner in the shootings means that state victim-compensation money will be supplemented by federal help. Private charitable efforts to aid victims have also been created."

So I guess the headline was just a way to scare people?

Being a governor is hard work...

... but that doesn't mean you have to make it harder. Rick Scott, Florida's new governor, has decided that open warfare with the state's press corps will help him. How, I don't know. Since we all know that the media is made up of people, why tick off the people who are the medium through which your message will be carried to the public?

Al-Jazeera in America; or, who's afraid of the big, bad wolf?

Since this story was in the business section of the New York Times, I suppose it means people know that Al-Jazeera is, you know, a business. People are worried that it has a bias - which of course it does - and that all it gives them is propaganda.

To which I say: where have you been? It's not shocking that media outlets have a bias. Figure out what the bias is and try to filter it out. If the station is providing a useful service, in this case coverage that no one else has, watch it and think about what you're watching. Be a discerning consumer and decide for yourself what is and is not true.