No wonder conservatives feel like outcasts in newsrooms

Dallas Morning News ^ | 10/1/2003 | Rod Dreher

[GB]

Nice piece. FYI, I've been a conservative in journalism for more than a quarter-century (sports for a long time, then news editing), and it's been tough at times but I've stood my ground and not sacrificed my principles, and have had a lot of fun and some rewarding experiences. There are some of us out there, you know. We're the ones who like the trade (and it is a trade, it isn't a profession, people who call it one are being pretentious and self-important) because it's fun and exciting, and because we want to help chronicle history as it happens. You find folks who get into journalism because they "want to make a difference ... want to make the world a better place ... want to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable," and you'll find liberals.

[Little Bill]

Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby once told me why he admired Ken Chandler

We Boston FReepers have been trying to get the "Globe" to admit that FRee Republic exists. Mike Prager a "Pravda' reporter came to us looking for looking for Pro-freedom protesters, I got some good pix in the "Globe" but nary a mention of FR, they came to us.

[thulldud]

What do you say to a patronizing comment like that?

I would have put on an accent like Topol's in the movie "Fiddler on the Roof" and said, "Thank you, your honor. How often does one get a compliment like THAT?" But I never get the chance to use that line (never get compliments!)

On one occasion I faked out a lib (unintentionally). He had prejudged me as another lib, so he was astounded to discover that I considered Slick Willie to be a lying charlatan. Nevere did find out the basis of his wrong judgment. Maybe I look like a liberal weenie or something. This is not a comforting thought....

[JoJo Gunn]

You find folks who get into journalism because they "want to make a difference ... want to make the world a better place ..."

I wish they'd all go and stay at the various IndyMedia's then, or that channel 9415 on the Dish Network. I prefer the 5 W's and nothing more.

[GB]

The five W's ... what's that? Do they even teach that in journalism school anymore?

Seriously, I didn't go to journalism school, I learned the trade on the job. Maybe that's why the five W's are still important to me.

[goodnesswins]

Well.....there are SOME (liberals) I would not let in my house, but then there are others who I'm in the process of RE-BRAINWASHING.....

[blastdad51]

Blastgirl wants to become a Vet, so she's getting all the bonehead and prerequisits (SP?)classes out of the way

[weegee]

From this headline: No wonder conservatives feel like outcasts in newsrooms

to this one:

Bill Plante (CBS WH Corr.): "The media is mostly left-leaning"

"The media is mostly left-leaning. It is difficult to turn out graduates in majors relating to the media who are at the right of the political spectrum. So the media gets to be leaning to the liberal side. ...The Democratic party sees the media as their ally."

[roadcat]

"For a right-winger, you're actually OK.""

I work in San Francisco and hear that all the time. Conservatives are rare here. Latest one I heard was "I'm a flaming liberal but I won't hold your love of Bush against you!". The day after Arnold won the recall election as our new gov, all the libs were dejected and depressed while I was beaming and gloating, made up for all the snide comments I usually receive.

[Paul Atreides]

He probably thought that, since you have all your teeth and can put two words together coherently, that you must be a liberal. Oh yeah, you wasn't wearing a swastika, so that was a "tipoff." Liberals think they are the only true human beings on the planet.

Another thing I would have said to the liberal woman, mentioned in this article, if she had said the patronizing comment: "You want me, don't you?".

[thulldud]

since you have all your teeth and can put two words together coherently

No southern accent, either, though I'm born and bred. Or maybe it was the facial fuzz....

Another thing I would have said to the liberal woman, mentioned in this article, if she had said the patronizing comment: "You want me, don't you?".

And that would have precipitated a turkey-walk to the parking lot in the loving embrace of the security dept. You're a right-wingnut, therefore you must hate women, and you just provided actionable evidence. Do not appeal to the examples of Gray Davis or der Schlickmeister in extenuation. They are righteous on the "issues", so they get a pass on character.

(All the same, I'm with ya. I'd like to do it myself!)

[Tempest]

We could use more conservative journalist in the mainstream media.