Conservatives Note Double Standard on Moran Statement

CNSNews.com ^ | 3/13/03 | Jeff Johnson

[wizzler]

Conservatives clean their own house, and hold people to standards.

This might very well be true. But are you OK with the notion that politically correct hypersensitivity is now one of those "standards"?

[GilesB]

My principles exclude double standards. I expect of a news purveyor that similar stories be treated similarly. If a person wants to whine about a fat lady stepping on his toe, that's his business. But I expect to hear at least the same noise when the fat guy he's sleeping with jumps up and down on his feet. If I don't, I will point out the double standard.

You will notice, with a bit of careful reading instead of hasty leaps to conclusions, that I didn't suggest how the double standard be corrected. However, it is entirely possible to ignore the fat lady stepping on your toes and yowl at a fat gay lover jumping on your feet without being accused of a double standard. So while I feel that the hubbub over Lott's remarks was artificial and contrived (although I'm happy he isn't Leader now), it is not a double standard for me to recognize the blatant, specific insult that Moran the moron directed at the Jews.

It isn't a double standard to bridle at the greater of two offenses, but it is a double standard to take mild objection to the greater offense and throw a tantrum over the lesser.

So quit worrying about my principles and refine your own. (Of course, maybe your principle is truly that Americans should jump to conclusions regarding other's principles and accept blatant double standards in our mainstream media.)

[hchutch]

I think a lot of folks were sick of Lott's consistent stupidity. It was a tin ear comment at best. The fact it was made on a nationally broadcast event made it doubly stupid. I, for one, felt that indicent showed Trent Lott did not have the JUDGEMENT to be Senate Majority Leader.

That was not PC, it was a matter of common sense. Trent Lott loaded a gun, chambered the round, removed the safety, and handed it to the Dems.

[wizzler]

No, I think I understand that you are concerned about the difference between people's reactions to the two events, as well as the media's portrayal of each of those events. On a practical level, I agree with you: These two incidents have received different treatments. There IS a double standard.

In a sense, though, there's a double standard at work here on the part of conservatives too: For years we fought against the stifling of speech by politically correct forces. Now, it seems, we're ready to buy into the politically-correct stance, for the temporary purpose of scoring partisan points.

My point is that instead of braying about double standards, a better tack would be to insist that NEITHER of these speakers deserves to get raked over the coals. Instead of saying, "Hey, why did only one of these guys get pulled down," we should be saying, "Neither one of these guys should get pulled down."

[Wright is right!]

"Where's Tom Brokav interviewing Jews that feel slighted?"

You might find it surprising, as I did, that the NBC Nightly News on Wednesday evening actually carried this story. Brokaw himself read it, and it lasted about 25 seconds. Came 19 minutes into the broadcast.

Michael

[wizzler]

But hchutch, the only reason Lott's comments seemed "stupid," or lacked "common sense," is that they were made in an era of stifling political correctness. It's that political correctness we should attack, not Lott's comments themselves. We shouldn't give in to being shut down by the PC brigade. We should fight the concept of PC at its root.

Otherwise, it's a concession of principles.

[PISANO]

Nothing NEW here......always has been a BIAS.......if this had be TOM DELAY or any other Conservative......all hell would be breaking loose on the network news and the cable stations. Let's just MOVE ON......and start the LIBERATION of IRAQ!!

[GilesB]

YOU are doing the braying - jumping to a conclusion, and continuing to jump after I point it out.

I haven't asked for EITHER to be pulled down - that you infer it speaks to your attitude, not mine.

I will contend, however, that reasonable people can take offense at Moran's statement while being unruffled by Lott's.

I'm not going to toe your line, or belly up to your bar. So you may as well stop asking. A double standard in the media is more offensive to me than either hypersensitivity or moderately offensive remarks - and I will continue to point it out.

And I so point.

[wizzler]

Honestly, I think we're talking past each other here to some extent.

In fact, I think you're jumping to conclusions about my posts: I think that you think they're addressed in their entirety to you. They're not.

Sorry about the confusion.

[GilesB]

When the post is addressed to me and it says: 'Quit worrying about "double standards," and stick to principles. (Of course, maybe your principle truly is that Americans should by hypersensitive and politically correct.)' I fail to see how it is jumping to a conclusion to assume that the perjoritives in the quote are directed specifically and entirely to me. Applying the "reasonable man" standard to this debate shows that I have been responding to your jumps to conclusions.