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.
The new owners are going to look pretty silly canceling a column written by the future Secretary of the Interior...
Does he write a column every week, on a regular day, or just when the spirit moves him? The syndicates require regular copy on a specific schedule. I think he would have had syndication offers by now, probably from a syndicate like Creators, which syndicates Michelle Malkin. Perhaps he didn’t want to to be tied to a weekly deadline.
That could be it too. Maybe a regular reader would know.
You and Ted Nugent must be talking about personality rather than character. Would a "good guy" conceal his past to the extent that Obama has, even refusing to prove he is qualified for the office he holds? Would a good guy be a Community Organizer teaching and encouraging people to round up and register fraudulent and non-existent voters? Could a Good Guy attend Harvard and Columbia Universities and few, if any, of his fellow students remember he had even been there? Would a Good Guy continually lie to the public, saying one thing then doing another? Would a Good Guy hire so many people with nefarious backgrounds and bypass the approval process by naming them Czars over the Constitutional heads of government departments? Would a Good Guy fire the Inspectors General of several agencies because they had uncovered wrong doing?
The list is endless.
Obama is NOT a Good Guy! He is a lying despicable Communist! Can a Communist be a Good Guy? Perhaps a few Useful Idiots but they only stay Communists until they discover what is really going on within the party. A party or philosophy which encourages lying, stealth, deception, false imprisonment, rationing healthcare, and all other Socialist?Communist values and practices cannot be good according to our history and culture. They are amoralists!
Looks pretty regular.
http://www.wacotrib.com/opin/content/news/opinion/nugent.html
Those are his column archives there
You can write columns that are agreeable with management’s position, or you can find another place to write. There may be negotiation on what’s acceptable, but in the end, you print what’s acceptable to management or you pick up your dolly and dishes and go find another media outlet.
I get your point. If the editor doesn't want to print what you write, you can certainly print it for yourself and accept the consequences with respect to your working relationship, heheh.
That's freedom of the press. It's the 21st century. The bar to entry is very very low now.
You’re right. Maybe someone should ask Ted.
They are. Conservative in their minds means "totally politically correct".
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.
[snip]
In the words of another famous American military man, William Barrett Travis, commander of the Alamo: God & Texas. Victory or death.
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Pingin' my Texas and General Interest Lists here cuz I thought you'd wanna know! :)
Ping! Ping! Ping!
Thanks for the ping!
Nuge agrees with you he just said that he would not play the wimp and only do nice pieces. As he said, nuts.
He pointed out part of why much of the newspaper industry is having problems. They are to much of a fan club of big government
BTTT
Please tell the Nuge that he’s badly missed in Tokyo and his fans will pay for him to visit for a spell.
Did you check his archive at that paper? He has written a lot of columns
Yes, I looked at the archive. He writes once a week. That’s why I said perhaps someone needs to ask him.
If anyone knows anyone who knows anyone.... tell them to tell Ted to write for them. Whether thats the WashTimes, CFP, Townhall or where-ever.
Really?
That would interesting to read about. Maybe he’ll write a column for them? lol
I dunno anyone ...
:)
This seems sorta like "The Patriot Act". Nobody read it but everyone signed it.
So, who wrote the bill? One person? The staff of several Representatives and/or Senators?
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