Normally I don't respond to the "Vent" segments on HotAir. But lately I've seen what I consider some frayed edges on the professionalism of the HotAir team and thought I'd make a point about it. The part about the video that prompted my post was when Michelle was being turned away by Foer's receptionist at the offices of The New Republic. A perfect dick-move, Foer told the receptionist that Michelle should email him to make an appointment to discuss the Scott Thomas Beauchamp debacle. Nothing about this seemed odd. The New Republic is a liberal rag and Foer is an unapologetic liberal. Michelle Malkin is a woman who carries herself with immense power and grace. Foer's refusal to tell Michelle to get lost in person was so obvious as to be almost scripted.
But HotAir not only kept the segment that showed the receptionist giving out Foer's email address to Malkin, they posted it on the video in the form of a subtitle. That shocked me. Why would they do that? They know they get a lot of traffic on HotAir. They know that Foer's email address is public knowledge--it's all over TheNewRepublic.com. So why show a receptionist giving the address AND show it as a subtitle?
If HotAir's intentions were anything other than inspiring it's readers to deluge Foer's email Inbox with hate mail, I appolgize. However, I was not born in September of 2007. Using the size and loyal following of one's own web site to inflict discomfort on the editor of someone else's is obnoxious and perhaps mean. With HotAir being a site that comes down on the side of conservatism, I expected better behavior on their part.
So I called them on it. I posted this in the Vent thread:
I thought putting the guy’s email address up was a cheap move.
When did the conservative movement aspire to victory by any means necessary?
That’s a liberal thug tactic. We’re better than that.
Some of the regulars didn't approve of my criticism.
Here's my response to their responses:
I guess my point was lost on some.
We need to be careful how we deal with our opponents. They will hold us to the same standards we’ve held them to, but that’s not the biggest reason to mind our manners.
The more we show signs of being the anti-liberals, as opposed to what we really are–conservatives–the more we will lose the respect of those on the fence. I’ve noticed the professionalism of this site go down this year. It’s become more sensational, more knee-jerk, less matter-of-fact. It’s disappointing.
If I have to explain why it’s poor judgment to put what is obviously an already public email address of the editor of a private publication into the site-produced video of a site with good traffic…..then my original post wasn’t meant for you.
Let me put it another way: how many of you would have emailed Foer after watching that video had HA not included the segment where the receptionist gives his email? Additionally, what are your emails going to accomplish? Is deluging the inboxes of people we are disgusted with an acceptable practice? If so, how does that jive with our contention that conservatism is better than liberalism? If it is better, then we act better. Not just when we agree with people, but when we vehemently disagree with people.
Either we will stand for something or we will fall for anything.
Tell me where I'm wrong.
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