The Advocate Silences The Messenger

Michelle Malkin’s column is no longer carried by Baton Rouge’s – The Advocate on the Opinion pages. The writer said (s) he enjoyed reading Malkin’s columns and it was a few months since the column was last printed. The writer wanted to know exactly; why? The response was enlightening.

Without quoting the exact verbiage used, the conversation was limited to the fact The Advocate took exception to Malkin’s use in, “two instances a couple of months apart in late 2010 and early 2011 … some very thinly disguised vulgar language”.

Malkin protested left-wing attacks against Republican candidates past and present. Her protests aimed at people using “vulgar language” neither thinly veiled nor productive in any manner. Malkin used punctuation (asterisks – [*]) in place of letters in offensive words. She tried telling people just how vile the language was and in doing such, left no doubt of the villainy displayed.

As noted in the lack of condemnation from The Advocate’s Executive Editor Carl Redman, it’s apparently okay if people, in opposition to Tea Party people’s motivations or former Vice-presidential candidates, can verbally assault them with surly, inappropriate verbiage that was NOT redacted in any way. We must all thank The Advocate for saving us the infamous words of a woman willing to point a directional finger at the actual words used to dehumanize and insult opponents.

So much for fair play and honest, balanced reportage. This applies to commentary and as such is a matter of opinion. It should be remembered opinions are much like alimentary canals; all are circuitous and seemingly endless in their travels while getting to the point, but in finality somebody is going to believe the end product stinks.

Mr. Redman stated: “it didn’t take a genius to fill in the appropriate missing letters in place of the asterisks and see the disguised words were highly offensive vulgarities. The Advocate does not let its staff writers use such language in their columns, even thinly disguised, and was not going to let Malkin do so either”. It has also been proven that while The Advocate “does not let its staff writers use such language in their columns”; it also feels NO need to attack the vulgarity and offensive language of those following their same left-wing political course.

In The Advocate’s view it seems okay to NOT say something about a wannabe comedian speaking a supremely insulting reference to a female’s anatomy because he disagrees with the politics of this particular politician. It’s apparently okay to silence the voice of an equally strident commentator because you disagree with her. Sauce for the goose? Sauce for the gander, Mr. Redman?

“We felt Malkin could have made her points without the blatant appeal to outrageous and, for a general circulation newspaper, unacceptable language,” said Executive Editor Carl Redman

But you also said nothing to reject the likes of the man started this all. True, you pay the columnists you print. That’s how they make money. That’s how they extend your readership with their commentary and thoughts expressed in print Mr. Redman. It’s insulting to be told I, as an adult, don’t have the sense or intelligence (in your viewpoint) to set the boundaries of what I find objectionable or inappropriate and then reject that element. Thank you for saving my mind and soul for me.

Kathleen Parker is a writer I admire and one whose opinion is well expressed. I find her commentary intelligent and thought provoking; unlike yours which is designed to squelch free thought and the total awareness of the wrongs perpetrated by those trying to shade my eyes so I don’t see the emperor has no clothes. Malkin and her colleagues are the ones pointing out the naked truth; a truth you’d rather hide MY head in the sand from rather than let me know the whole truth.

Edmund Burke said: “All that’s necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.”

From this action we see plainly what The Advocate’s stance is on political matters. Better to silence the messenger than to heed the unpopular warning.

Thanks for listening.

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