Comments on: Newsweek's 'Selective Zeal for Democracy' http://www.fair.org/blog/2009/07/17/newsweeks-selective-zeal-for-democracy/ The national media watch group Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:31:47 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: July 2009 « Questionable Content http://www.fair.org/blog/2009/07/17/newsweeks-selective-zeal-for-democracy/comment-page-1/#comment-40423 July 2009 « Questionable Content Sat, 11 Sep 2010 01:23:40 +0000 http://www.fair.org/blog/?p=11159#comment-40423 [...] http://www.fair.org/blog/2009/07/17/newsweeks-selective-zeal-for-democracy/ [...] [...] http://www.fair.org/blog/2009/07/17/newsweeks-selective-zeal-for-democracy/ [...]

]]> By: FAIR Blog » Blog Archive » Wishful Thinking on Latin America Trumps Logic at Newsweek http://www.fair.org/blog/2009/07/17/newsweeks-selective-zeal-for-democracy/comment-page-1/#comment-8679 FAIR Blog » Blog Archive » Wishful Thinking on Latin America Trumps Logic at Newsweek Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:12:25 +0000 http://www.fair.org/blog/?p=11159#comment-8679 [...] Margolis, who wrote recently about the "selective zeal for democracy" of those who condemned the Honduran coup, wrote another little piece on Latin America for Newsweek [...] [...] Margolis, who wrote recently about the "selective zeal for democracy" of those who condemned the Honduran coup, wrote another little piece on Latin America for Newsweek [...]

]]> By: Joshua http://www.fair.org/blog/2009/07/17/newsweeks-selective-zeal-for-democracy/comment-page-1/#comment-7121 Joshua Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:27:25 +0000 http://www.fair.org/blog/?p=11159#comment-7121 One other important note is that when the Supreme Court ruled against this advisory ballot on the Constitution, Zelaya converted it to a NON-BINDING REFERENDUM. I.E.- it became a public poll. So, the real question that should have been asked is, how dangerous were the results from this non-binding poll? And the answer is: So dangerous that the people in the military exiled the leader trying to get the poll results. One other important note is that when the Supreme Court ruled against this advisory ballot on the Constitution, Zelaya converted it to a NON-BINDING REFERENDUM. I.E.- it became a public poll.

So, the real question that should have been asked is, how dangerous were the results from this non-binding poll? And the answer is: So dangerous that the people in the military exiled the leader trying to get the poll results.

]]> By: Frank Sellers http://www.fair.org/blog/2009/07/17/newsweeks-selective-zeal-for-democracy/comment-page-1/#comment-7107 Frank Sellers Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:13:35 +0000 http://www.fair.org/blog/?p=11159#comment-7107 I don't like the adolescent tone some of FAIR's articles take, such as the following in this article: "...which hasn't happened anywhere in Latin America besides Honduras since...OH RIGHT [my emphasis], the anti-Chavez coup in Venezuela by folks on Arria's side." "Oh right"? What is this? Such snarkiness only serves to detract from the dignity and gravity of the article. If you want to be taken seriously, be serious. Don't go for an easy chuckle from your most ardent supporterts because you may turn off others skeptical of YOUR honesty. I was also once a newspaper reporter and as tempting as it may have been, I never would've been so disrespectful to the people I was writing about, even if I hated their guts. If the facts alone don't make a strong enough case, maybe the case isn't strong enough to be worth making. This is an important and enlightening piece, but your one instance of snottiness undermines your goal--which is what? To expose Newsweek's corruption or give them the finger? Believe me, just by successfully accomplishing the former you will more than accomplish the latter. I don't like the adolescent tone some of FAIR's articles take, such as the following in this article:

"…which hasn't happened anywhere in Latin America besides Honduras since…OH RIGHT [my emphasis], the anti-Chavez coup in Venezuela by folks on Arria's side."

"Oh right"? What is this?

Such snarkiness only serves to detract from the dignity and gravity of the article. If you want to be taken seriously, be serious. Don't go for an easy chuckle from your most ardent supporterts because you may turn off others skeptical of YOUR honesty.

I was also once a newspaper reporter and as tempting as it may have been, I never would've been so disrespectful to the people I was writing about, even if I hated their guts.

If the facts alone don't make a strong enough case, maybe the case isn't strong enough to be worth making. This is an important and enlightening piece, but your one instance of snottiness undermines your goal--which is what? To expose Newsweek's corruption or give them the finger? Believe me, just by successfully accomplishing the former you will more than accomplish the latter.

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