Gingrich has doubts about Freedom of Speech

[Boston Critic]

Ironically, he was speaking at a dinner honoring people for upholding the First Amendment:

Gingrich raises alarm at event honoring those who stand up for freedom of speech
By RILEY YATES
Union Leader Staff
7 hours, 7 minutes ago


MANCHESTER – Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich yesterday said the country will be forced to reexamine freedom of speech to meet the threat of terrorism.

Gingrich, speaking at a Manchester awards banquet, said a "different set of rules" may be needed to reduce terrorists' ability to use the Internet and free speech to recruit and get out their message.

"We need to get ahead of the curve before we actually lose a city, which I think could happen in the next decade," said Gingrich, a Republican who helped engineer the GOP's takeover of Congress in 1994.

Gingrich spoke to about 400 state and local power brokers last night at the annual Nackey S. Loeb First Amendment award dinner, which fetes people and organizations that stand up for freedom of speech.

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Gingrich+raises+alarm+at+event+honoring+those+who+stand+up+for+freedom+of+speech&articleId=d3f4ee4e-1e90-475a-b1b0-bbcd5baedd78

[and-justice-for-all]

1. Well lets start with Newt...

...Shut the fuck up.

I sick of this fearmongering bullshit, I have to deal with it at work and its rediculus!

[Skittles]

15. LOL

:thumbsup:

[zanne]

2. I'm not reading the Union Leader today.

When I was in college (in NH), my Journalism professor began the first class by saying, "First, let me show you what is NOT journalism"; and he held up a copy of the Manchester Union Leader.

[Boston Critic]

4. That must be that "liberal bias" in academia

Of course the Manchester Union Leader is an example of journalism. Your professor was wrong.

Now, it's not an example of GOOD journalism, but that's a different question.

[zanne]

9. This was in the 1970's

We had higher standards then.

[Boston Critic]

11. It's not about standards

It's about definitions.

I'm a movie critic. I see hundreds of movies a year. Most of them are pretty bad. They are still "movies." I can't hold up a copy of the awful remake of "The Wicker Man" and say, "This is not a movie." Of course it's a movie.

It's just a really, really bad example of one.

[zanne]

14. OK; I get what you mean. nt

[Clark2008]

18. You're comparing apples and oranges.

The Union Leader is an example of a newspaper - a very BAD newspaper, but it's still not journalism. It's gossip, innuendo and pablum: not journalism.

[Boston Critic]

19. You're using "journalism" as a standard...

...instead of a definition. It does contain actual reporting and commentary amidst all the crap.

It is journalism, just as FOX News is journalism. It's just very biased, inept journalism.

[neoblues]

27. Not "Real" Journalism?

Not the "Respected" Journalism; not the kind studied and taught...

Still,

Main Entry: jour·nal·ism
Pronunciation: 'j&r-n&-"li-z&m
Function: noun
1 a : the collection and editing of news for presentation through the media b : the public press c : an academic study concerned with the collection and editing of news or the management of a news medium
2 a : writing designed for publication in a newspaper or magazine b : writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation c : writing designed to appeal to current popular taste or public interest

Definition 2a and 2c are rather a broad definitions... which seem as though they could cover pretty much anything written for publication, no matter how badly written. Or is it just not writing? Not "real" writing; not the kind studied and taught... Certainly not, but if we look at the definition of writing... alas, anything anyone scrawls that another can decipher is... (gulp) writing.

I know I'm pointing out the obvious and that you must know this, and I almost take your meaning... but you repeated yourself to imply an absolute negation/exclusion. Now I would expect that if you studied Journalism or teach it, you might use the more rarified definition, but the dictionary, alas, doesn't make that distinction--and surely you know this... so I'm wondering why you wrote that.

That is, why do you write that BAD newspapers are not journalism? Are such awful newspapers not just "bad" or "poor quality" or "rubbish-like" examples of "crude" or "unworthy" or "unprofessional" journalism or the product of "uneducated" or "misguided" or "unprofessional" journalists? There certainly is the temptation to avoid bestowing the prestige of professional and/or high-minded "Journalism" upon such unworthy efforts, but is it not still journalism.

I'm stuck on the fact that it's defined to be journalism; how can I avoid this? Perhaps it's a question for a psychologist... "Doc, I need help, I'm compulsive about the definitions of words...". I make my own mistakes, but when I know the definition... I can't seem to forget it.

Sorry to be a bother; nevermind.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

22. Agreed. Higher standards destroyed to prevent "librul bias"

There never was a liberal bias, just republicon hatred of the truth.

[neoblues]

28. Truth, Like Reality Has a Well Known Liberal Bias...

Or at least Liberals do seem to value the Truth (and Honesty/Integrity) far more than modern Republicans/Conservatives (though, if they had the integrity to stay true to their words and their proclaimed beliefs, they too would value the Truth).

[Island Blue]

3. Osama must be in his cave doing the Happy Dance.

Fuck Newt Gingrich.

[madrchsod]

5. newt is offically bat-shit crazy

and an un-american

[acmavm]

6. Why is this ass clown still around spewing ignorance and

intolerance?

Since he is so in favor or curtailing my right of free speech, I consider HIM a terrorist.

Can he be locked up now?

[PCIntern]

7. We ALREADY lost a city...

it is called "New Orleans".

They didn't much seem to care about that when it happened.

[EST]

8. We have already lost a city, ya friggin idiot!

It's called "New Orleans" and it was lost because of terrorism from * , the puke party, the neoclowns and their enablers.:nuke: :puke:

[PCIntern]

10. Great minds think alike!!

I was going to put 'effing' in there but held off this early in the AM out of respect to...I don't know, but out of respect.

[Theduckno2]

24. First thing that crossed my mind too!

I suspect that if Newt got his way, he would be the first person in charge of the Ministry of Truth!

All the RICO laws, wire fraud laws, postal laws and, in general, criminal laws to protect us and Newt wants to go after freedom of speech. What a monster! Grr just won't get it this time.

[rman]

12. Yeah, give up those freedoms for which the terrorists hate us

That'll solve the problem.

I think the evidence clearly shows that if there's any group that hates us for our freedoms, it is the political and corporate RW power mongers. If nothing else they are helping the supposed terrorists to achieve their supposed goal.

[Solly Mack]

13. Newt Goebbels

[flordehinojos]

16. years ago, when he was elected speaker of the house and the corporate press was

fawning over him, he said in an interview that on his night table he kept three books, one was the bible (which i wonder if he did at all)--the other was a copy of MIEN KAMPF, which seems to have become his bible, and i can't remember the third one--but this MEIN KAMPF thing raised a red flag for me back then -- no one seemed to notice (in the press at least) ... and now it seems he may be drooling over the fact that freedom of speech may need to be re-examined.

nazi bastard!

[EST]

30. Probably the "Gideons" bible.

Heheh!

[jelly]

17. America wake up!

Please please please let me not be in the minority of people that finds Newt's proposal repugnant to the core.

[bridgit]

20. fuck him too, the conceited asshat...

[shadowknows69]

21. Somebody please stop this world

I want to get off.

[xchrom]

23. oh that newt! he's such a ''thinker''.

:eyes:

[fasttense]

25. Gingrich proposes that in order to keep our freedom we must

give up our freedom. Hmm, sounds like typical neocon, oil conglomerates speak. War is peace, enslavement is freedom.

[jelly]

33. I think there is a misconception that totalitarianism appears evil on its face.

On the contrary, the justifying principle underlying totalitarianism is that freedom must be taken from the people and centralized in a strong government for their own good, to protect them from those who wish to harm them. Totalitarianism appears benevolent on its face and it's what thugs like Newt Gingrich seem to want for America. If a dictatorship is what Newt and all the good Fox News watching people in America want then I would ask at least that they call it what it is and not pretend that what they are after is a democracy.

[sam sarrha]

26. sounds like he said what they wanted to hear...!!

[Bad Penny]

29. Gotta love the republican party

no matter how batshit fucking crazy they all are and how much they've been revealed to the world as pirates, pedophiles, hoaxters, robber barons and fascist war profiteers, they still trot out batshit fucking lunatics like gingrich to sell us more of their crap with a straight face.

[PVnRT]

31. Yeah, let's be just like China and Iran

Great role models, there.

[ProfessorGAC]

32. Then Shut Up Newt

There, see how easy it is. You want to curtail freedom of speech, Newty. Start with your own yapper.
The Professor

[luckyleftyme2]

34. I CAN'T BELIEVE

I Can't believe any one still listens to that snake oil salesman. I'm one of those who thought he was great.I even went to atlanta to find out if he was for real. Well prehaps
bush was a student of his.Never have i seen so many people hate a person as they did knewt in
atlanta and most of georgia. I went during the notorious shut down days.
here is what the answer was from an atlanta zoo employee. "I said to the employee (who happened to be upper management)iIwas hoping to run into knewt(who was all over the national news as saying how much he done for the zoo and how he was always there when he was home);the employee's reply was"do you see any t.v. cameras?" you yankees sure are gullible!
he was one of the greatest photo, sound byte snake oil salesman of his time.
DO ANY OF YOU YOUNG ONES KNOW WHY HE LEFT WASHINGTON ON THE RUN?
HE TRIED HIS DAMDEST TO RUIN CLINTON,BUT IT ONLY TOOK A PISSED OFF CLINTON ONE TIME TO NAIL HIS SORRY ASS TO THE WALL!
HE WAS A WOAMANIZER,A DOG!AMONGST MANY OTHER THINGS.

P.S. IF CLINTON RAN TODAY THE REPUKES COULDN'T PUT UP A MAN TO BEAT HIM! AND WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT THIS IS WE LEFTIES ALL KNOW IT!