The Media Guardians strike back

No revolutionary new development ever arrives unless it is confronted by the Guardians of the Status Quo, and thus no revolution -- even those of benign consequence for the good of humankind -- is ever bloodless. It's just the way humans interact, and there is no getting past it.

A growing number of reports in the MSM focus on alleged blogging excesses, worries over unrestricted internet access, whether the 'net should be taxed, whether free speech has its limits online, and questions over whether bloggers are "real" journalists (whatever that means). It goes beyond a merely perceptible trend; the animus of some, mostly in government and media, toward the evolving blog culture is measurable, and their "concerns" are rapidly mutating into "cautionary warnings" that border on Phase 3, "threats."

As a former member of that caste called mainstream journalists, the Oklahomilist is not surprised by this reactionary movement. There are many in the MSM whose perceptions of their power are based on an antiquated notion that they are somehow different than the common man and most definitively of a higher calling. Or if you prefer simpler, harsher language, your typical liberal reporter, editor or opinion writer believes that he or she sits (never stands) on a lofty moral throne, elevated through sheer compassion and intellectual growth over mere mortals (especially conservatives).

Allied with the liberal ruling caste (ahem, excuse me, former liberal ruling caste), the MSM has dominated debate and directed political action on public issues for several decades. But no more, and that has the powers-that-were in a snit. The rise of talk radio, the advent of the internet and the development of the blogosphere has taken away the monopoly on political thought. Nothing signified this change more so than the Fall of Dan Rather/CBS News, and the subsequent re-election of George Bush to the presidency and Republicans building on their power base in Congress.

Suddenly liberals, who had once thought they would dominate the new media as totally as they did the old, discovered that the internet is a hard, cruel place for political philosophies without defensible foundations. It is not enough to repeat the same set of mendacious personal slurs and mindless talking-points that inundate the public in the MSM. Information seekers on the internet can and do select from a vast menu of offerings of fact, opinion and verification. All but the mindless reject mere sloganism. (For those mindless liberals, you may now proceed to this link where you may bottom feed among your own.)

Thus the backlash against a powerful new medium is perfectly understandable, just as the British attempt to prevent the American colonies from forming a more perfect union was predictable, as was the later attempt to reclaim the lost territory in what we now refer to as the War of 1812. And just as the patriots of freedom were called upon in 1776 and 1812, so we are now called to stand ready to defend what rightfully belongs to all men and women.

Thank God no actual bloodshed should be required. We need only stand vigilant to remind the nation that the ideals of freedom require an understanding that the words "free press" and "free speech" mean nothing unless they apply to everyone with opinions and the ability to express them. Just as the voting franchise once was limited only to those with real property, the notion that a "free press" is limited only to those who own printing equipment and ink is outdated. Nor did the constitution ever require that a certified reporter must have a bachelor's degree in journalism. (This concept alone could provide fuel for a very long column.)

Please read today's posts, follow the links, and be prepared to do your part for defending freedom here at home. The liberals of the MSM, through their guardianship of the powerful organs of the old media during the decades, have had their day. They must learn a new thing: how to compete in the big marketplace of ideas without resorting to government control, electronic gate-keeping, taxation and regulation, or thuggery. It is possible that the academic requirements of this competition -- i.e., real thinking and real reporting -- will be beyond their abilities after so many years of forsaken disuse. Ah, well even the dinosaurs died out when their time was at an end.

And for those liberal dinosaurs who somehow manage to survive and adapt to the transition, welcome to the new frontier of freedom.