liberallarry: Unbelievable!...and indefensible.
Indefensible, yes. Unbelievable? Hardly, from my POV.You say later that more free speech is the only answer, and you are absolutely correct. But I emphasize that "more speech" cannot mean louder speech by the same people who already have the biggest microphones.
What is actually required is less credulity for the big talkers. If someone tells me that they are objective, I sometimes reflexively sucker for the con. I admit it, I was raised that way. The way I intend to react to that sort of claim is to ask, "Oh yeah?? What other lie are you gonna try to sell me?"
And what I like about FR is the fact that if I don't ask the hard questions someone else generally will. The motto of FR should be Adam Smith's dictum:
It is acquired wisdom and experience only that teach incredulity, and they very seldom teach it enough. - Adam Smith