Silence Is Golden
Knoxville News-Sentinel political and blog reporter Michael Silence took it upon himself to personally insult yours truly in print this week. After pondering the matter at no small amount of depth, I have decided that I simply cannot be angry with Silence. After all, this is a man who I once praised to Tennessee House Republican Leader Jason Mumpower and most of the House Republican Caucus as "the best political reporter in the State," despite the fact that I frequently disagreed with his angle.So rather than be angry, I'd like to personally thank Silence. Because he has run this column which twisted my intent, if not my words, I am quite sure that traffic on this weblog will increase. I am also certain that this latest salvo into the realm of personal character assassination may be some small attempt to increase the ever-lagging readership of the News-Sentinel, which is mercifully losing ground to the blogosphere on a daily basis. Hence, I really can't blame the man for trying to save his job, since anyone who has read my work with regularity knows that despite my criticism of certain newspapers, I have always had a fondness for what Jack Lail calls "newspapering."
Further, I can't help but wonder if this week's Silence column may be the result of some temporary dysfunction of Michael's otherwise-capable cranium. As Rob Huddleston points out, Silence is known to have these airy removals from reality from time to time, such as when he predicted that Barack Obama was going to carry Knox County (not even close).
No one has to agree with what I write in order for me to befriend them, so it might shock Silence to know that I even have friends who are Democrats, and some of those voted for Obama.
Oh well, at least Silence is a Cubs fan-unless he also abandoned the Blue in another temporary cranial dysfunction.
Labels: Conservatism, Local politics, News Media, Presidential Election, Tennessee politics
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 1:20 PM
4 Comments:
David,
You DID say something INCREDIBLY stupid. You did get called out on it. That's a fact, that's reality. Own up to it.
No matter what you think of Pres-Elect Obama he IS NOT the singularly most evil thing that has ever befallen America. That is emperically stupid and you said it. You wrote it, you populated the blogosphere with it ...
HOWEVER ...
You admit nothing: it's all " ...personal character assassination..." & " took it upon himself to personally insult yours truly in print this week."
You deny everything: "...he has run this column which twisted my intent, if not my words ..."
You blame someone/something else: Michael Silence whose "... column may be the result of some temporary dysfunction of Michael's otherwise-capable cranium. As Rob Huddleston points out, Silence is known to have these airy removals from reality from time to time ..."
You are a true conservative - you can't deny it.
SteveMule
PS You're thinking that your more important than you really are. Yes, many more people probably did check out your blog recently, well, actually probably just that one posting to see if you really did say something that stupid. So enjoy the bounce, it won't last.
Secondly, you're just not that important enough to drive up KNS readership by having Silence bag on you. He can bag on you until the cows come home and it won't help KNS. Sorry, but it's true.
Steve -
A pretty picture of a kitten might be enough to "drive up KNS readership." Like the rest of the archaic newspaper industry, I would be surprised to see the KNS and other similarly sized newspapers make it beyond the next 10 years.
Cheers,
Rob
Rob,
You might be right about the demise of the American Newspaper. I am simply unable to adequetly debate the issue with you.
However, my point was that David was deluding himself if he thought Michael Silence's comments concerning his blog post were going to increase KNS readership.
SteveMule
You seem to think that simply having more visits to your blog for any reason is a good thing. It is my experience that having a blog where people actually interact has more gold attached than one simply visited and then left. If readership is what you want, then you might think about actually responding to your faithful commenters once in awhile. Especially when they call you on the carpet. Having negative comments only without some defense on your part indicates a mind that might not be able to complete a thought beyond the time to think them up. And it's a nice gesture to engage the choir also. They appreciate responses to their comments.
I actually like your blog for what it is. I make an attempt to find conservative blogs that are not all about being a freeper haven and do nothing but blast Liberals as losers. Yours is usually decent in this regards. I appreciate your even tone and delivery. That you and I disagree on almost everything is beside the point. You offer up Social conservative issues without the confrontation. I need to know them from your perspective if I expect to know why I don't agree. Or in the occaisional moment of awareness, find words that change my slant. It has happened. It did happen. I was a Republican for years. Now I claim no allegiance. Something, someone changed my mind.
All too often we sit across from each other and without a clue of the whys of the other side, we throw darts and barbs at each other without giving the other side the respect of at least considering their take. I use your blog as one way to do that.
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