Posted on 08/17/2009 7:21:16 AM PDT by abb
Just got a missive — unguided missile? — from my pal Ted Nugent saying he’s been fired by the Waco Tribune-Herald, which has new owners as of a couple of weeks ago. I’ve contacted Carlos Sanchez, the editor of the Trib, and asked for his response, which I’ll post below when I receive it. (For now, click here to read his comments as published in the paper today.)
Nugent’s email to me:
Just been fired from Waco Trib. Now they will have to rely on their other New York Times Best Sellers, and array of clever and diverse journalists to convey their diverse & tolerant point(s) of view. Here’s my Teditorial after being told to not criticize in my Sunday features that they chose to not run.
——
I’ll Take Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press for $100, Alex by Ted Nugent
When the Nazis had the Americans surrounded in the town of Bastogne, they demanded American General McAuliffe surrender or they would level the city. General McAuliffe’s reply: Nuts!
The new editor of the Waco Trib recently told me that I could only write nice things about people, that I could not be critical. Basically, that I need to tone it down. I can not, nor will not, comply with this Romper Room request. My reply: Nuts!
The editor is wrong to try and muzzle my opinions.
As a columnist, I express my opinions. That’s what columnists do. That’s also the charge of an independent and free press.
The job of the press is to be the “fourth” arm of government. To intentionally muzzle itself is to fail at its most basic watchdog responsibility. As readers, voters and citizens we should demand a watchdog press, not a lapdog press.
I can’t envision Thomas Jefferson, George Washington or Ben Franklin making a request of an anti-King George columnist to tone it down. I can’t imagine Martin Luther King toning down his message. It is impossible for me to fathom any American to tone down what is in his heart and soul.
I criticize where I believe criticism is due. That’s what Thomas Paine did when he published Common Sense prior to the Revolutionary War. He criticized King George for his heavy handed and wrong policies. We are free in large part because of Thomas Paine’s open, routine and strident criticism.
I have criticized President Obama and liberals for what I consider to be destructive, anti-American policies that will hurt our economy and harm your health. Not once have I criticized him personally because I have never met the man. As far as I know he is a decent enough guy, but in my opinion, is politically naive and very wrong, even dangerous for America. So do many other Americans as indicated by the shrinking support for his takeover of the health care system and numerous other heavy handed, foolish moves.
Obama’s policies are bankrupting America. He supports a health care bill that he hasn’t even read, nor have those in congress who support it. If that doesn’t deserve massive amount of criticism, what does?
When I have criticized President Obama, I have almost always countered his dunderheaded, Marxist policies with a free market, more personal freedom alternative. More government control is not the answer to what ails America. Obama believes otherwise.
This newspaper and others should encourage spirited and lively debate and criticism, especially when so many newspapers are losing subscribers. I don’t support milquetoast journalism. It bores me.
You are free to disagree with my opinions. In fact, I encourage those of you who do to fill the letters to the editor page of this newspaper. I revel in open debate. That’s the America I know and love. Express yourself, Texas. Lay it on the line. Give it your best shot. Be bold in your disagreement.
Construcitve, bold criticism is cool. It rocks. It can literally change the course and destiny of an individual, neighborhood, community, and nation. It is the most basic of our Constitutional rights — the 1st Amendment. Failing to criticize emboldens politicians to stay on course regardless how many icebergs are dead ahead. Political correctness is the cancer of journalism, not its cure.
America and Texas was born with a defiant streak. Those genes still flow through my veins. To request that I not criticize is to spit on the memory of those who gave birth to America. Again, I criticize where I believe criticism is due. That’s my civic job and your job as Americans. If the editor of this newspaper doesn’t like that, he will have to fire me. I will not surrender to his wrong demands.
In the words of another famous American military man, William Barrett Travis, commander of the Alamo: God & Texas. Victory or death.
Just goes to show you that liberals don’t want any opinions which are not their own. Who needs the Waco newspaper anyway? Can’t wait to see Ted Nugent at the “Friends of America Rally” on Labor Day in Holden, WV. Hank Williams Jr. and Sean Hannity are also scheduled to appear. It should be big. The official website is: friendsofamericarally.com
I can’t believe the Nuge wouldn’t bow to the demands of the left. /sarc
The Waco Tribune Herald has no obligation to print any viewpoint with which it disagrees. Ted, OTOH, is free to find a media outlet that is more conducive to his opinion.
If the pressure is from the government, that's a freedom of the press issue. If the pressure is from your editor, that's Tuesday. I speak as one who has written for several newspapers, magazines, etc. (nothing major.)
Editors catch the flack for columnists. If Peggy Hill writes that ammonia and bleach are a great cleaning combination (don't do that, BTW) the editor and the magazine get the complaints.
As far as I know he is a decent enough guy, but in my opinion, is politically naive and very wrong, even dangerous for America.
That's my opinion too. Obama's problem is that he has been badly miseducated.
And I would be very surprised if Obama can even come close to articulating what Hayek or Friedman or Adam Smith believed.
I would be equally surprised if Obama ever even read the Bible with anything close to an open mind.
I honestly think Obama's world view is shaped by 1970s sitcoms and dope-session discussions with Marxist intellectual wannabes .
Papers get their money from Advertising - pure and simple. When papers are in the red (as they have been for a long time) yet go on for years, who do you think has been proping them up??
Papers that support higher taxes?
Papers that support illegals?
Papers that support government intrutions into our lives (like Cap and Trade and Obamacare)?
Papers the suburbs and countryside doesn’t like?
Answer - lots and lots of Lib/progressive funds.
Nobody is saying otherwise, although we are equally free to try to get them to change their mind by pointing out their hypocrisy to differing views, double-standards with regard to dissent and by canceling subscriptions.
The Waco Tribune was recently bought by local people.
http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2009/07/16/07162009wacrobinsonWEB.html
Robinsons to buy Waco Tribune-Herald
The Nuge is right as always. He should be syndicated throughout the country so that lefties get some truth. Keep fighting for the truth and the right to express yourself Ted!
The only people who enjoy absolute freedom of the press are those who own newspapers, the publishers. If Ted wants to have his unrestricted say, he should have bought the Waco paper, which I am sure was going for a bargain price.
That was true up until the internet came along.
Ted Nugent’s articles themselves probably have 10X the readership of this newspaper.
BUMP for excellence!
I’ll Take Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press for $100, Alex by Ted Nugent
BTW, as to the Robinsons buying the Trib, shrug. I didn't read it before, and I won't read it now.
Agreed. I have a feeling the maroon who made the decision to fire Ted is going to get an avalanche of letters, including many requests to "cancel my subscription".
In the words of another great American, “Kill ‘em and Grill ‘em!”
They’ve been Nuge-itized!!!
Has the Waco trib hurt Nuge’s exposure level one iota? Nope.
Will this hurt the trib’s circulation? Probably.
But The Party is always right! The Ministry of Truth and its organs must see to that. All must love Big Brother Obama!
/SPIT
There is a significant difference between freedom of the “press” and freedom of expression. True, the Internet has vastly expanded freedom of expression. But newspapers still have publishers who hire and fire the help, and who determine what goes on the editorial page and what is printed in the news section (and the advertisements, for that matter.) Newspapers, and their publishers, still control the Associated Press and other wire services. Similar executives control network news on TV and on the radio. Ted can go on writing his column any way he wants, and send it out on the Internet, and many of us will read it with glee. It just won’t be published on paper with ink in Waco any longer. The only people who enjoy absolute freedom of the press are those who own newspapers, the publishers.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.