I’m ‘Just’ A Blogger

NoisyRoom

From The Honolulu Advertiser: In 1728, Ben Franklin opened a printing office in Philadelphia. He produced a newspaper called The Pennsylvania Gazette and his annual Poor Richard’s Almanack.

Journalism used to be an honorable profession dating back to the time of the heralds. Journalism is writing history in real time. It isn’t the business of peering backwards through a glass darkly in a retrospective. It isn’t consensus. It isn’t repeating the meme. It isn’t filtered for political correctness or partisanship. It’s raw and, in its pure form, the unvarnished reality – the deeply disturbing photo of a summary execution, the hysterical observation of the conflagration of a crashing Zeppelin or the fearless observation that a government official has violated both the law of the land – even including the Constitution – and international treaties by supplying arms to active criminals in a subversive effort to abrogate the rights of his own citizenry.

Journalism isn’t who you are, journalism is what you do. It is the courage to tell the truth regardless of personal risk. And so it used to be; today though, we live in an age where being a “professional journalist” means having a license to lie.

When I first saw the video above, I was overcome by several emotions. The first of which was incredulity closely followed by anger as I just could not believe how viciously Juan Williams attacked Michelle Malkin, slinging at her what he considered an insult: “I’m a real reporter, I’m not a blogger out in the blogosphere somewhere…” He couldn’t debate her in the present with a solid retort, so he resorted to what he deemed insults. When Williams was unjustly fired from NPR, the entire conservative blogosphere stood up as one and defended him vociferously. Let’s see, it took him a matter of seconds to revert to his bitter liberal ways, I believe. Juan, I’ve got news for you. The old media is dead, not dying, dead. The new media is what real journalism is – unfettered, real and in your face. A reporter used to make his bones as a journalist by breaking a big story and I do believe you’ve forgotten what that is like. You can just toddle off back to your dinosaur media roots, where all you have to do is look good and pretend to be wise while your viewership slips into oblivion. It’s time for the big boys and girls to roll up their sleeves and do the real work you faux journalists can’t be bothered to do.

If being a true journalist is defined by bravery, ethics, excellent writing and oratory skills – well Juan Williams doesn’t begin to compare to Michelle Malkin. He also obviously has poor manners and is like a cornered badger when he is losing an argument – he bites first and asks questions later (in an arrogant, condescending manner of course). Malkin is a true reporter of the first order and here’s one for ya, Juan… people actually read what she writes and listen to what she says. I’m sure that is a foreign concept to you.

I could not be at Right Online 2012 in Vegas this year, but I listened to Michelle in the above video. She was incredible! And I am sure that Andrew Breitbart is looking down from heaven and smiling that impish smile of his. I know he would be very proud of Michelle and all the other bloggers who are carrying on and fighting the fight of our lives. Bloggers are exposing tyranny and corruption wherever they find it regardless of credit or fame. Because that is what real journalists do, that is what bloggers do.

I have been blogging for about 11 years now. Neal Boortz gave me my first break and I will miss him – he’s retiring this year and Herman Cain will take his place. Michelle Malkin was actually one of the first people who got me looking into Progressives and the Obama administration. Trevor Loudon was the other. Both are giants in the reporting world and both are mentors of mine. Most of the information out there today came from bloggers – you just don’t hear it on the “news.” The mainstream media is in the bag for the Obama administration and many, if not most, are Marxists. Yep, I went there.

So, ask yourself this, whom do you trust? Those that hobnob with Marxists and hate this country and our Constitution or the bloggers who uncover the truth, sometimes risking their lives to do so? We do this in our spare time with no pay and little gratitude and lots of hate. I’m just a blogger, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world, just for freedom.

Comments

  1. Well said! I was at RightOnline and it was an awesome and inspiring experience. I think if I had the resources I’d start printing up tshirts that say: I’m “Just a Blogger” :-) The best thing I brought back with me? The undeniable belief that I am not in this alone. We ARE in for the fight of our lives and we will NOT be silenced.

    • Arlen Williams says

      Yes, wonderful article and well said too, Karen.

      In just a bit of defense of Juan Williams, his unfortunately expressed remarks were largely defensive and fact-based; he was referring to the journalist’s often pronounced advantage of getting face time and phone time with political players and other inside the beltway (or inside the bowels) sources.

      In that way, I find his comments less offensive than similar ones I’ve heard about bloggers, from Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck. We should hold those accountable first, who are nearest us.

      Here is Glenn Beck’s mouth-off:
      http://gulagbound.com/8114/glenn-beck-shows-his-elitism-how-he-is-not-to-be-trusted-with-power

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