Quite possibly the dumbest thing ever published by the BBC
Okay, it’s a perfectly reasonable and informative article about the threat of arrest faced by political bloggers around the world. Except for the last sentence, which is also the caption they pulled for this picture. Let me just screencap it so you can savor the dumbness:
China, Iran, and the US?
Well, they point out that it is an election year, so I guess that means anything goes…wait, are those jackboots at my door? I may have to hit “publish” before this post is completely fin…
UPDATE: Okay, I’m back from Room 101* and the lobotomy scar barely even shows.
Interesting thing–that BBC article refers to a World Information Access Project report about blogger arrests, which notes there have been 64 cases of bloggers getting pinched since 2003 (plus many more in Burma which couldn’t all be verified.) I looked in their data set, and three of them were in the United States.
Don’t you wanna know why?
The first blogger arrested in America was Daniel Aljughaifi, “for terrorism”. Yep. As in training with Al Qaeda. I’m pretty cool with his getting arrested.
Second? Jack McClellan. They give the reason for that as “For posting pictures of little girls, being a pedophile”. Great! Enjoy prison!
Third is a little more complicated, but not too much. Josh Wolf, “For videotaping a burning police car.” Yeah, not quite. He was arrested for refusing to turn over his video of a burning police car to a grand jury in a criminal investigation. Not quite the same thing. In any case, judging from Wolf’s sideburned hipster-doofus picture I support his arrest on a count of aggravated pretension.
Even if you disagree with what happened to Josh Wolf, it’s no different from what Judith Miller went through when she refused to name her sources in Plamegate, and not inconsistent with our views of a free press. It’s not like American bloggers are being specially targeted by the Ministry of Truth. Well, except for Mark Steyn, but he wasn’t actually arrested, and he’s not a U.S. citizen, and that was in Canada anyway.
For the BBC to equate these cases with the sort of political repression practiced in China and Iran, and to pretend that that storm troopers will be dragging U.S. bloggers off their keyboards by November is the worst sort of anti-American propaganda.
But doesn’t it sound more edgy and dangerous to pretend that blogging in America could get you arrested? I’m a rebel, man. You don’t want to get too close to me.
* Appropriately, Wikipedia’s entry on Room 101 in Orwell’s 1984 links to this explanation of how Orwell decided to call it Room 101:
Orwell based Room 101 in part on his experiences of the BBC and the political vetting that used to go on in its conference room on the first floor.
The BBC conference room was Room 101. Perfect!
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{Post by See-Dubya}.
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Categories: BBC, Repression
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I guess they think Obama has the election in the bag and he will send the FBI, NSA, and CIA after the right wing bloggers. This will help Michelle O’s children.
It doesn’t say arrests in the US, it says elections in the US which, whether we like it or not, is a world issue. Our elections will be commented on worldwide, some of which will not be friendly to the local government there.
I think you’re being more than a little paranoid.
Wait a minute Michelle. Remember that if Obama wins, this headline may not be too far off. But it’s liberals who will do the imprisoning/shutting down. If they want to shut down talk radio, they’ll want to shut down conservative bloggers as well.
You know the sentiment of Helen Thomas and the ret: they think blogging is for amateurs, and the only legitimate form of journalism is the NYT kind.
This isn’t the BBC I knew. What went wrong?
/sarc
These guys -the BBC-must not have had any coffee this morning.
The Dems would happily shut down Michelle M if they could, but I think the BBC has published dumber things.
This is the dumbest thing I’ve seen in a while from them, but with the BBC, I wouldn’t hold my breath on this being the dumbest.
#2:
You’ve got to be joking.
Laugh now, but just wait…oh, OK. What were they thinking?
#2 — I agree that they probably meant that our elections will be commented on in other countries where arrests of dissenters is the norm. However, I think see-dub is right about this. I think that they did it intentionally to make others think that our (US) civil liberties are being eroded at breakneck speed. There are plenty of people in the world who do not understand the freedoms we have, mainly because they’ve never experienced them. There are others who would love to see us fail. Of course, if SCOTUS keeps handing down rulings like they have recently, our children and grandchildren may not have the opportunity to enjoy many of those freedoms either. Just sayin’.
Are you reading the screenshot of the caption, Christopher - “Elections in China, Pakistan and the US could prompt more arrests”?
I thought I could read. What did I know?
We’ll write to you, see-dubya. You may not remember who we are, after the brain washing and indoctrination you get in the re-education camp to which you are sent. But, we will write to you nonetheless.
On June 16th, 2008 at 1:56 pm, Barry F. said:beat me to it
I’m curious as to what he was actually reading.
I could see this becoming reality if the Obamunists take power.
The article said that there have been arrests of bloggers in England, Canada, France and the US. What bloggers have been arrested in the US? I’ve read about people who make threats of terrorism on blogs and forums being arrested, like the guy who threatened a Va Tech style massacre on AR15.com. What bloggers have been arrested for expressing criticism of the government?
Single Stack–I wondered that too, and I’m working on an update now. As soon as the nice men in the white coats say my mind has been cured of badthought.
barry, he was confused about the cracker references, of course LOL.
Even if #2 is right, doesn’t the BBC have editors?
What makes you think that bloggers will be arrested here just because they’ve been arrested in Canada, and England, and China, and Venezuala, and in….
/sarc off.
China, Pakistan & the US, Hmmmmm… maybe they are still bitter over a failed imperialist policy?
Too bad about that see-dubya fellow… lemmie now if there is a defense fund, I can donate what ain’t going to the RNC.
see_dubya, I have heard rumor - you know how rumors go, especially given antics from Bob Beckel and Larry Johnson - that there are some pretty harsh things done to fix conservatives that have been taken in. Stay strong!
I don’t know dubs these liberals are getting nasty and I see how they’ll do anything to quiet the ‘dissidents’. I was in a heated debate with a ‘PhD’ student with a weed smoking habit this weekend; I was called everything from a misogynist to a racist. The kid didn’t want to listen to anybody else’s view except his own. The debate centered on how the surge in internet pornography has caused a decline in the amount of forcible rapes committed against women. Because I was a skeptic I was automatically a racist hick. When he said he liked smoking pot I ended the debate right there; what’s the point.
Hah…hey see-dub…you sound like me
let me know if you see some black helicopters outside!
BBC - British_Bull_Crap
Yeah. I might be able to kick some in this year, BR, since I don’t foresee the RNC or McCain getting any of my hard earned money, at least voluntarily, this year.
Better be careful, Surveyor. They will label you as a racist.
Must be thinking of McCain Feingold
Goldwater Knight,
You used sound judgment in ending the debate at that point. This PhD student is really meaning to go vote in November. He’s probably going to get around to it. He might make it over there to the polling place to vote for Obama.
Odds are, he won’t make it, like every four years with the “yute” vote. . .
This must not have been the run-of-the-mill pothead, GK. I don’t know many of them that are capable of a “heated argument”. They’re usually too fried/wasted to hold up their end of a debate.
yeah prolly.
I hear anyone east of California and west of Georgia are on that list too.
I can’t help but think that caption may be a little prophetic. I can see BHO with the help of the MSM bringing back the Fairness Doctrine. Heads will roll.
Clearly OT, but you might have learned that there are several studies substantiating his claim…
Why doesn’t the BBC cover something like this extensively.
Paranoid isn’t the emotion here, it’s a feeling that you get when someone lies to and blatantly disrespects your nation.
Of course, if you’re a stereotypical liberal, then it’s cause to celebrate.
The BBC should apologize and make restitution for this at once!
Indeed, Obama hasn’t even been elected yet and they’re acting as if FAIR is already in place!
But seriously, let’s revisit this in 4 years if Obama gets elected and the Dems enhance their hold on Congress. Let’s see how ridiculous this sounds then. They’ve got dissent within their own ranks to stifle at the moment. . .stripping delegates of their delegacy etc. etc. . .
I seriously doubt they’re going to stop there.
I did peruse this report and it’s states there could be a problem with ‘econometric technique’. I did a quick linear regression with the raw data available at the FBI website and yes, there is clearly a downward stochastic trend starting around 1990.
I remain a skeptic because first, it’s statistics, and second there’s hundreds of variables involved. I wish I could compare these statistics against what’s going on in China where porn is illegal. To remain on topic, I found it disturbing the drug addict PhD got mad with me because I didn’t lockstep the issue. But go figure that…
I’m good with those three getting time too, see_dubya.
You’re right. I can barely even see that….Oh, my! What did they do to you?!
Sorry for not following up. I’m not used to being referred to as #2 except by my ex-wife.
Seriously, though. I did read it. Repeatedly.
And I still contend that they’re not referring to arrests in the US, but arrests caused by the elections in the US. Because, well, that’s what it actually says.
The BBC is older than me; I don’t know if this is THE dumbest thing they ever printed. But it must come close; I would expect this kind of nonsense in a Monty Python episode!
Well C-dub….that aint happenin.
How well can you get along with Mark Steyn? Might be they have a cell for both of you at the ‘thought prison’…
hehe
Well, you see, Bush is a fascist. And McCain is running for Bush’s third term. So, it is only natural to conclude that we American fascists are going to arrest more people for blogging.
But, aren’t Pakistan and China and Iran and North Korea the true supporters of human rights in the world? Why would the BBC lump those peace-loving democracies in with fascists like the USA?
Back to Room 101 for more re-education….
Can anyone say “circular logic?” Assuming arrests must increase we predict more arrests this year than last year.
This passes for journalism anywhere?
Maybe they are anticipating arrests for people who insult Obama. It sure as heck feels like it’s headed that way.
Don’t think this will happen in the U.S. wait until Obamesshiah is elected. Just look at Canada.
For over 250 years the brits have maligned, mistreated, and hoped to control the people of the USA. We had to free ourselves from their corrupt and dishonorable influence which sought to take from us our inalienable rights and to credit itself and it’s king with the powers of God. Today’s BBC still sees itself as the source of our salvation and would have us as their’ servants once again. Neither the BBC or Britain have the experience of Democracy and real freedom that the USA has. The Brits still have no constitution and their government claims that it is the source of the peoples rights as if it were actually important. Here we, the people, have allowed our government certain duties and powers but certainly recognize that our government never gave us life, liberty, or right to pursue happiness, never gave us the freedom of speech, religion, property, or assembly. Let the BBC lick the boots of its master, Parliament, and speak no more to us Americans unless it is to praise us for twice saving their lives and freedom despite their intrinsic weakness, and to look to us for advice on matters of government.
We haven’t had a Constitution around here in years…oh, unless it agrees with the politicians. Otherwise, it is ignored. Judges are blasting it every day. The government in Washington, right now, feels that it too, is the source of our rights. More and more are being taken away…in the name of “protecting us” and “entitlements”, to the cheers of a lot of people.
To everyone who even thought about defending BBC’s slant:
Do not fool yourself. The British Liberal mentality is that the US is no better than Iran, China, North Korea or Zimbabwe. They believe that the only valid opinion is their own and that the only way for any country to succeed is to accept the simple fact that Britain knows best. I promise you, BBC’s comment was a direct swipe at the US. The British use words very precisely.
The British feel that the US is a nation of backwards ignorants who simply haven’t “figured it out”. Live amongst them and you will understand.
I think the UK is a fantastic place that has been ruined by an exceptionally liberal mentality. This mentality has turned the populace of Britain against their only true friend on Earth. Next time the sabres start rattling, they will come running hat in hand.
At least the French do not hide thier condescension towards the USA.