I think it’s fair to say that I’ve made no secret of my contempt for the media. Not least their hysterical misrepresenting of statistics and information relating to the Covid-19 fiasco. It’s also fair to say that journalism is little more than leftist activism these days, with very few people who use the title journalist actually doing proper journalism (Peter Hitchens being an honourable exception here). That is, uncovering the facts behind a story, doing investigation and presenting those facts in an unambiguous and neutral manner for the public to read and form an opinion. All too often, the role of the modern journalist is to form opinions on our behalf and berate us if we have the wrong one. Usually by labelling us as “far right”.
However, there is a greater enemy and the forces of darkness that are the likes of Antifa, BLM and Extinction Rebellion have no interest in argument, persuasion, debate or heaven forfend, the ballot box. Although on that last point, this could prove interesting. I predict lost deposits, myself.
The despicable attempt by Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists to blockade newspaper printing plants, and so prevent anybody reading The Times or the Sun on Saturday, was good news in one respect at least. Now everybody can surely see Extinction Rebellion protesters for what they are.
I would hope so. I suspect, however, that the silent majority already did. We have been fuming at the lack of action on the part of the government and police to enforce the law and remove these people when they set up their illegal blockades. The ability is there, it is merely the will that is lacking.
Behind all the swanning about in fancy dress and theatrical protest love-ins, these eco-zealots are petty authoritarians who have appointed themselves censors of public discussion; self-righteous private thoughtpolice with the moral authority to decide what we should be allowed to read or hear. And they have ruled that the ‘Murdoch press’ must be suppressed. Not just criticised or disagreed with, but banished from the streets of Britain.
See my comments above regarding my disdain for the press. However, I do not believe that they should be silenced in perpetuity – or banished from the streets of Britain. XR is the enemy of political debate, it is the enemy of reasoned disagreement, it is the enemy of the ballot box, it is the enemy of free speech and a free press. Much as I dislike the press, I defend absolutely their right to print and distribute their papers without hindrance from lawless activists who have set themselves up as censors dictating what may be read.
Now, faced with two groups that I utterly despise, I find myself having to take sides.
I side with the press.
Antifa, BLM & XR should be on terrorist list
I’m surprised you haven’t attacked Dictator Hancock over new his law
Coronavirus Act 5b – £10,000 arrest & fixed penalty*, appeal and unlimited fine &or jail
Piers Corbyn Arrested under 5b – Again
https://lockdownsceptics.org/2020/09/06/latest-news-126/
Hancock made this law with no Parliamentary scrutiny or vote.
Unless MPs take action by 6 October (28 Aug +40) it continues
* iirc must be paid before released
A law that can be enacted by the lowliest Community Notaproper Policeman apparently.
“XR is the enemy of political debate, it is the enemy of reasoned disagreement, it is the enemy of the ballot box, it is the enemy of free speech and a free press.”
When you are wrong about pretty much everything, free and open debate isn’t really going to help your case. Violent bullying is your only option really. The upside is that they have made enemies of the feeble witted MSM who might now feel like doing some actual journalism and exposing these people for what they are.
Well I’m looking like a prophet.
https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2020/09/08/dominic-lawson-free-speech-fake-science-and-why-we-must-take-the-fight-to-the-climate-zealots/#more-46357
Wouldn’t it be a delicious irony if ER pissing of the newspapers was the catalyst that caused the world to wake up to the climate change scam?
I used to be a court reporter and the went on to cover ‘public disorder’ stories as a freelance among other journalistic jobs. I was taught by people who were obsessive fact checkers and although some of those who taught me were extremely right wing, they never allowed their own views to infect their stories. They covered the story with the facts from both sides and although the subs bench might have subsequently butchered the stories to fit a particular paper’s house style or politics, the journos themselves were relatively respectful of things like the truth.
I feel utterly ashamed of what the journalism profession has become. It is now completely dominated by those of left of centre thinking and regard for the truth or the idea of telling both sides of a story seems to have gone out of the window. It’s not just individual papers that have gone down this route, even major international News Agencies are now almost irredeemably ‘woke’. Maybe what is needed are new News Agencies to compete, maybe on a small scale or in a particular area such as political and crime reporting, with PA, Reuters, AFP, AP etc.
I agree about major international News Agencies; for a while I tried getting my news from Reuters —after all the papers just rewrite press releases and agency copy, so why not go to the source— but it was no better than BBC,Sky etc
Ivor Cummins does a neat dissection of the stats for SARS/COV-2. See video below.
https://youtu.be/8UvFhIFzaac