Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Silencing the Opposition

An Obama-appointed federal judge has ruled that no matter how much work you do on line, if you're not affiliated with the MSM or dead tree media, you're not a journalist, and not entitled to any of the protections that go with that.

Specifically:
He said, “Although the defendant is a self-proclaimed ‘investigative blogger’ and defines herself as ‘media,’ the record fails to show that she is affiliated with any newspaper, magazine, periodical, book, pamphlet, news service, wire service, news or feature syndicate, broadcast station or network, or cable television system. Thus, she is not entitled to the protections of the law in the first instance.”
Radly Balko, who richly deserves a Pulitzer, would not qualify.

Next blogger-fest, everybody bring a printed copy of your latest page. Pass it to the person on your right. Now pass a nickel to the person on your left. Having done this, we are all now pamphleteers, and thus journalists, entitled to all the perks of the title.

Meantime, let's hope the judge, Obama appointee Marco Hernandez, is quickly and firmly overturned.

5 comments:

jed said...

Blogger-fest? What a concept. I can report that I have finally dined at Merle's, and found it quite good. Considering our turnout last time, we might not even need to bother with a back room reservation. Of course, I don't know what they offer in that respect.

Billll said...

Merle's works for me. Big birthday next month too.

jed said...

Elvis?
Ernest Borgnine?
Robert Burns?

Well, pick a date, and I'll alert the usual suspects.

Billll said...

How about the 28th?

People who incessantly quote Robert Burns are kept in the Severe Burns Ward at the hospital.

jed said...

Sounds entirely good to me. I'll wear my tam o'shanter and address the haggis.

Perhaps I'll get inspired and come up with some graphics.