Let's Attack the Messenger. Rock on Regina

We have birthers and deathers, thissers and thatters. Some of the progressive bloggers focus on one issue, or one region, or one person. Many of the Alaska bloggers continue to focus on Sarah Palin, believing that she is not going away - and even if she never runs for political office again - she continues to do great damage.

One of the most interesting aspects of this fight (and yes, it is a fight) between the right and the left, the Democrats and the Republicans, is that rather than engage on the issues, or weigh fact against fact, is that it has become a battle (at least from the right) against individuals.

No matter where you stand on the issue of Trigg Palin's parentage (and I'm still not sure where I stand on that one, except to say that having given birth, I'm not convinced Sarah Palin's story of his birth is even close to the truth) but rather than simply release her medical records as every other presidential and vice-presidential candidate, or allow the hospital to make a statement, or even (OMG) release a birth certificate, Palin's team roots around and outs the bloggers, finds supposedly damaging information, and attacks the messengers.

Examples of these tactics are GOP101 as evidenced by any Fox Broadcasting talk show you happen to choose, Tea Party you happen to attend, or Democratic Town Hall Meeting video clip you see presented on the network news. Front and center are signs denouncing President Obama, his politics, his bill, his race, his history, his birth, morals, his ethics, or any other ludicrous idea you could think of. The same goes for any other Democratic leader, progressive commentator, or anyone trying to bring a level head and a calmer tone to the debate.

What happens, regardless of the subject, any subject argued by the left, is an attack on the messenger. President Obama wants health care? Attack. Senator Kennedy was responsible for more legislation in support of people than anyone else in our history? MaryJo Kopechne. Audrey at Palin's Deceptions speaks as a medical professional (and one involved in reproduction at that)and raises questions about Sarah Palin's outrageous claims regarding Trigg's birth that invariably lead to further questions? Attack. Shannyn Moore and Gryphen at The Immoral Minority simply repeat rumors, one about the possibility of a Palin divorce? Threaten to sue. And, don't even do it directly, but leak it via email to the media. Classy.

Don't like someone's politics? Attack their family, their person, their history. Drag up something they did 20-, 30-, or 40-years ago as proof of their character - never mind every other thing they may have done since - yet ignore recent (and repeated) actions of their own that demonstrate disregard for not only personal integrity, but the public trust (and the law).

Can anyone say hiking the Appalachian? Forgetting to tell your staff (and state) where you were for almost a week (Stanford)? Little going away presents to your mistress staffer's family of $96,000 (Ensign), a little trouble with prostitutes (Vitter), telling your wife immediately after cancer surgery that you're divorcing her (Gingrich), etc., etc.

The latest? A comment on Palingates lambasting Regina and other bloggers. It was perfect. It was precious. It should go on the front page of the Alaska Daily News. It was a comment posted by someone calling themselves Lambie and was so funny, Regina dedicated a whole post to it.

Lambie has left a new comment on your post "Looking into Sarah Palin's Ineptitude"


"Franklin Graham's circus" ?? Look in the mirror, Regina. What did you or your crowd DO about the plight of people caught for six weeks in the energy crisis in western Alaska? You blog while people starve. Some people carp, and some people act. If Franklin Graham taking action to deliver food and supplies was a circus, then I say less blogging and more circuses.

It was even more fun to read the responses and to respond.

Lambie:
I'm from California, but have supported the Alaska bloggers by linking from my blog, writing articles about national issues I care about and that I think deserve attention, and am extremely grateful for Regina, AKM, Shannyn, Gryphen, Celtic Diva, and others for keeping the spotlight on SP as she is obviously not going away.

In addition to the situation in Emmonak, it was the bloggers and volunteers with trucks (thanks Hope!) and donations from all over the country who helped out after the ice disaster in Eagle, not SP or the state. I could go on and on with Alaska issues that have been dealt with because of attention brought by bloggers.

All I'm able to contribute right now is my voice, and it's fading, but when we join together, we move mountains. Be careful when you attack. Bloggers do their homework and their research and on the progressive side at least, we have facts on our side.

Scratch a progressive and we get mad. The Democratic Party hasn't acquitted itself very well so far. Nor has President Obama in some arenas. But the more the GOP and their mouthpiece Fox News attacks, the stronger we become.

By the way. In case you missed it, it was bloggers that saved Emmonak, and Eagle, and ...

Thanks for stopping by. Come back soon.
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