I don't know if any of you care about politics, or freedom of speech, or net neutrality or anything other than video games really. Or if you watch CNN (which, if you do, I'm really sorry about that). But a short while ago someone by the name of Shirley Sherrod was fired due to a fuck up of truly epic proportions. Proportions so epic that not even the great, mindbending, mouth watering, boner giving epicness of Scott Pilgrim can't come close to. What happened? Well, a journalist, Andrew Breitbart posted a video on his blog of an editted speech Ms. Sherrod was giving to a NAACP crowd. While the speech was a message of being tolerant towards people of other races and that one must do their job "colour blind" if you will, Mr. "douche bag" Breitbart edited in a way to make her appear racist. The result? Several news outlets (Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, and others) grabbed this story and ran with it, waving it over their head like a nerd who'd just lost his virginity running naked down the street holding the unfortunate girl's panties over his head. All of this press controversy caused the Obama Administration to move swiftly in firing Ms. Sherrod. BUT WAIT! Then someone found the real video and realized the tremendous fuck up that had just occurred. So what happened? Well, while Fox News admitted their mistake several others felt the need to point the finger.
CNN (the subject of this blog) however decided to take the low road and point the finger at the TRUE culprit of this monstrosity... anonymous bloggers???? Yes, CNN anchors Krya Phillips and John Roberts discussed in length (five minutes worth of length) about how people's ANONYMITY was the mischievous factor that caused this misdirected, erroneous shit storm to come down on this poor woman like Gabe Newell on a doughnut (that poor doughnut never saw it coming). But lets take a look at the facts CNN shall we? It was in fact NOT an anonymous blogger who caused this shit storm. It was a "failed" journalist on his own personal blog, where he clearly identified himself, that caused the shit storm of all shit storms. In fact, YOU CNN had a bigger part to play in this than any anonymous blogger did. In fact, I challenge you to find ONE example of a major controversy caused by something written or reported on by an anonymous blogger.
The problem with this situation is certainly not that bloggers can write what they want on the internet without the threat of being prosecuted thanks to the vale of anonymity. The problem here is that YOU failed to fact check your story, YOU caused this woman to be fired, and now YOU are pointing the blame on someone else, CNN. And how dare you have the bullocks to suggest that there should be a "gatekeeper" to the internet. How can you in all good conscience claim to be the bastion of free speech that you wish you were while you are suggesting that that right be taken away, and that people have to meet some arbitrary governmental or corporate official to be able to say what they want. The internet is a great tool, it is giving a voice to people who have none. Radio lost it's ability to do this when everything became regulated and governed, television never gave it to you at all, and now YOU, CNN are claiming to take away one of the few remaining ways that a person can get their message, their opinion out there, away from people? Shake yourself, CNN! You are a bunch of hypocrites and I do not know how you sleep at night, particularly these two anchors.
In all likely hood this was a paid segment by some company (almost 6 minutes without commercial? ya right) and you probably don't believe what you're reading but that doesn't make it okay. CNN is a joke of a news organization. They don't consist of journalists anymore. They are the extended mouth piece of whatever PR company is paying for a chance to control the stream. And to claim that YOU came to the rescue of this woman, that YOU somehow saved this woman's reputation is preposterous. I'm sick of you CNN, I'm sick of the corruption that you and your fellow media mouth pieces spew from your corporate propaganda holes. If you want to see a video here's a link. But you're right CNN, something has to be done, about you! I know you feel threatened by the blog-o-sphere and are a little against it, I would too if something was driving me out of a job. I know this was a stream of thought blog but I saw this video and my blood boiled. F#@k you, CNN. F#@K you and whatever corporate or governmental entity paid you for this bullshit segment. The audacity to suggest that you defy the right of free speech because someone's feelings might get hurt is unbelievable. But to be fair, do blogs say factually incorrect things? Yes, I've probably said some here. But how is that any worse that what YOU and the rest of the incompetent media say? The only difference is that I don't get paid to do research, I don't have a team of editors to make sure I'm correct. My mistakes are acceptable, yours are not. What do you think of this, GiantBomb.com readers? Do you think there should be a "gatekeeper" to the internet? I probably won't agree with you but I'd love to hear your opinions.
P.S. So as to not be a hypocrite, my name is Keith Weagle and I'm a pissed off blogger.
Edit: Broke it up a little bit, not editing it too much. It was a stream of consciousness blog, if you have a problem with the grammar don't read it.
Log in to comment