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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>This is not about left vs right. It's about
right vs wrong.</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=ewj@pigs.ag href="mailto:ewj@pigs.ag">E.Wayne Johnson</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=galliher@illinois.edu
href="mailto:galliher@illinois.edu">C. G. Estabrook</A> ; <A
title=peace-discuss@anti-war.net
href="mailto:peace-discuss@anti-war.net">Peace-discuss</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, November 26, 2010 10:05
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Peace-discuss] The Nation
goes nuts</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Glenn Greenwald was likewise incensed by that hit
piece in "the nation" and wrote a pretty good rejoinder in Salon this
week.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>The think that we all need to consider is "what
is behind", what is driving obvious political hit pieces like that
one.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Consider that the Neocons favour the
authoritarian state and the war and everything about the empire associated
with all that mess,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>and they have likewise come out in support
of the TSA.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Let us all stop and consider that this is not a
left vs right issue. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Wingnuts? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>There are "nuts" on both wings it seems and more
nuts waiting in the wings.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Methinks we all doth protest too
little.</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=galliher@illinois.edu href="mailto:galliher@illinois.edu">C. G.
Estabrook</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=peace-discuss@anti-war.net
href="mailto:peace-discuss@anti-war.net">Peace-discuss</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, November 26, 2010 9:42
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Peace-discuss] The Nation
goes nuts</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><SPAN
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class=Apple-style-span><SPAN
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Grande',Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(51,51,51); FONT-SIZE: 15px"
class=Apple-style-span>
<DIV
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id=outer>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 1.7em; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
class=title>Journalism Interrupted: The Nation Fail</P>
<DIV
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; COLOR: rgb(120,120,120); FONT-SIZE: 0.9em; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TOP: -1.5em; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
class=details3>Larisa Alexandrovna, November 25, 2010<BR><BR></DIV></DIV>
<DIV
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; CLEAR: both; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
class=entry>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px"><EM
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-STYLE: italic; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px"><A
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; COLOR: rgb(153,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
href="http://www.thenation.com/" target=_self>The Nation</A><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN></EM>has been a true and trusted
friend of mine for years. I know the editors and many of the writers and
have nothing but respect for their work. Most importantly, I have great
respect for their consistent adherence to the highest journalistic
standards.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Yesterday,
however,<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><EM
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-STYLE: italic; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">The
Nation</EM><SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>ran a piece that
is nothing short of character assassination, serving no newsworthy purpose,
and<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><A
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; COLOR: rgb(153,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
href="http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/11/24/tyner"
target=_self>rightfully criticized</A><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>by others as a barely disguised
political hit-piece.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">The
article, entitled "<A
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; COLOR: rgb(153,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
href="http://www.thenation.com/article/156647/tsastroturf-washington-lobbyists-and-koch-funded-libertarians-behind-tsa-scandal"
target=_self>TSAstroturf: The Washington Lobbyists and Koch-Funded
Libertarians Behind the TSA Scandal"</A><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>by Mark Ames and Yasha Levine
essentially implies that the entire libertarian movement is nothing more
than a front for the billionaire Koch brothers and their corporatist allies
and by extension that libertarian protesters and groping victims are all
hired pawns representing these interests. But do Ames and Levine implicate
the American Civil Liberties Union in this project as well? After all,
the<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><A
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; COLOR: rgb(153,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
href="http://www.lasocialdiary.com/node/125921" target=_self>David and
Charles Koch each donated $10 million to the ACLU</A>, an organization which
is also opposing the TSA's nude scanners and full body frisks.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">This
article offers nothing in the way of proof for its allegations, but provides
plenty of speculation and bizarre claims of guilt-by-association, beginning
with the very first paragraph:</P>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-STYLE: italic; MARGIN: 1.5em 0px 1.5em 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Does
anyone else sense something strange is going on with the apparently
spontaneous revolt against the TSA? This past week, the media turned an
"ordinary guy," 31-year-old Californian John Tyner, who blogs under the
pseudonym "Johnny Edge," into a national hero after he posted a cell phone
video of himself defending his liberty against the evil government
oppressors in charge of airport security.</P></BLOCKQUOTE>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">The
writers fail to grasp something basic about society it seems. When people
are outraged, they tend to be galvanized very quickly. Many people who
respects individual rights, regardless of political leanings, oppose the
TSA's new and extremely invasive security policies.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px"><SPAN
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
id=more-8598></SPAN></P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Consider
for a moment what the issue is. The government of "we the people" demanded
that the "we" that it is supposed to represent give up our rights to our
most sacrosanct property our bodies in order to have free passage across
this supposed free nation.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">In
essence, my ability to travel in the United States of America is contingent
on me allowing a government agent to either see me naked or feel me up. This
outrages me. This outrages everyone I know. The level of invasiveness is the
galvanizing factor. So no, I don't find it "strange" that there was a
"spontaneous revolt against the TSA." I would find it strange if there was
instead the sound of crickets in response to such clear and obscene acts of
government overreach.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Ames
and Levine are suspicious, but suspicions alone do not make for good
journalism. Moreover, unfounded and unsupported suspicions like those on
display in this piece do not even make for a good op-ed.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">They
continue:</P>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-STYLE: italic; MARGIN: 1.5em 0px 1.5em 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">While
this issue is certainly important and offensive to Americans, we are
nonetheless skeptical about how and why this story turned into a national
movement. In fact, this whole campaign feels a bit like dιjΰ-vu: As the
first reporters to expose<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><A
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; COLOR: rgb(153,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
href="http://www.alternet.org/media/129656">the Tea Party as an Astroturf
PR campaign</A><SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>funded by
FreedomWorks and Koch-related front groups back in February, 2009, we see
many of the same elements driving the current "rebellion" against the TSA:
Koch-related libertarians, Washington lobbyists and PR operatives posing
as "ordinary citizens," and suspicious fake-grassroots outrage
relentlessly promoted in the same old right-wing echo
chamber.</P></BLOCKQUOTE>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Perhaps
Ames and Levine took a dinner discussion they were having and simply assumed
that it would make for good journalism. Not so. They ask and answer their
own question and yet continue to express skepticism. They note that
"the [TSA] issue" is "offensive to Americans" and then ask "how and why this
story turned into a national movement" all in the same sentence.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Moreover,
the implication that the genuine outrage of the populace over the TSA
touch-and-feel scandal is somehow a mirage fabricated by special interests,
devalues the real concern that people have about having their rights
violated.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">In
any case, I am certain members of the Tea Party movement are indeed outraged
over what the TSA is doing, but so are members of every political and
ideological leaning. Liberals are outraged, but the national outrage and
outcry is not a liberal creation. Conservatives are also outraged, but
neither could they claim ownership of this national response. The
common denominator here is individual rights, which as I noted earlier, most
Americans feel strongly about. I am outraged, but hardly a member of the Tea
Party movement.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">All
of that aside, how is this in any way journalism? It is suspicion first and
speculation after, based on a straw-man of political origins and presented
as solid news reporting. Yet<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><EM
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-STYLE: italic; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">The
Nation</EM><SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>published this?
Why?</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Then
comes the character assassination:</P>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-STYLE: italic; MARGIN: 1.5em 0px 1.5em 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">So
far, all we know about "ordinary guy" John Tyner III, the freedom fighter
who took on the TSA agents, is that, according to a friendly hometown
profile in the<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><EM
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-STYLE: italic; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">San
Diego Union-Tribune</EM>, "he leans<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><EM
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-STYLE: italic; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">strongly
libertarian</EM><STRONG
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; PADDING-TOP: 0px"><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN></STRONG>and doesn't believe in
voting. TSA security policy, he asserts 'isn't Republican and it isn't
Democratic.' " [Emphasis added.]</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Tyner
attended private Christian schools in Southern California and lives in
Oceanside, a Republican stronghold next to Camp Pendleton, the largest
Marine Corps base on the West Coast.</P></BLOCKQUOTE>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">So
Tyner leans strongly libertarian and the point is? Tyner does not believe
in voting and the point is? Then they go on to dig into his past, where he
went to school (Gulp, Christian schools!) and note that he happens to live
in a Republican stronghold. So? What is the point? What does this prove?</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">I
lived in South Florida for many years, a state that bleeds red to the core
and even had a Bush as governor. Does that make me a Bush loyalist or a
Republican? Does my geography marry me to an ideology or a political
movement? Florida happens to have several military installations as
well. Does that somehow implicate me in something? What is the actual point
here other than guilt-by geography?</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">What
is Tyner's crime other than he is openly a libertarian (they still don't
tell us if he is a member of any party)? This is a philosophy which values
individual rights. Would it not make sense for him to be outraged by the TSA
invasion of our bodies? Do his philosophical leanings somehow lessen his
right to be outraged?</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">The
bad journalism continues:</P>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-STYLE: italic; MARGIN: 1.5em 0px 1.5em 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">At
least one local TSA administrator wondered if Tyner hadn't come to the
airport prepared to create a scandal.</P></BLOCKQUOTE>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">At
least one? Is that two, three, how many? What is the name of this "one" TSA
agent? The anonymous TSA agent aside, their observation is telling in that
it states the obvious. "Wondered"? The whole purpose of a protest or a show
of civil disobedience is to create a scandal, is it not? So again, what is
the point of this assertion and where are the specifics?</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Ames
and Levine then go on at length to describe another "libertarian" who
also protested the TSA, which turned out to be a hoax apparently. Yet they
fail to tie Tyner to this other person. The only connection if one can
call it that is that Tyner and the other protester happen to be (and we
don't even know this to be true) similar in their philosophical and/or
political leanings. Again, guilt-by philosophical association and maybe not
even. The point is? What is the point?</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">They
spend an inordinate amount of time describing the travels of this other
"libertarian" and her connections to yikes! yet other libertarians,
without offering anything other than speculation, conjecture, and the
implication that the libertarian movement is somehow involved in these
dealings whatever these dealings are. In any case, let me re-state the
obvious again: one would expect that a person who values individual rights
would indeed be outraged by what the TSA is doing.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Ames
and Levine conflate all libertarians with lobbyists and corporate interests,
yet prove nothing that implicates anyone in the libertarian movement of
being involved in any sort of dirty trickery on behalf of the powerful.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">They
attack a protester for his philosophical views (which actually are in line
with his actions) and reduce him to a geographically contaminated paid
shill. They assert, but fail to prove any substantive connection of anyone
to anything. Most importantly, they seem to be defending the TSA from what
they call "national hysteria."</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Yes,
I am part of that hysteria. What do my credentials have to be in order for
my outrage to count as valid?</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Finally,
let me add something about<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><A
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; COLOR: rgb(153,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
href="http://www.thenation.com/article/156679/response-glenn-greenwald">the
response</A><SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>that Ames and
Levine published in answer to<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><A
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; COLOR: rgb(153,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none; PADDING-TOP: 0px"
href="http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/11/24/tyner">Glenn
Greenwald's criticsim</A>.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">In
general, the response offers nothing in support of their original
allegations and attempts to re-write an article already written. If the
original article needs to be explained with a second article, then clearly
the original article is lacking.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">My
issue with their response is primarily with Ames' need to bring
Levine's Soviet background into his defense from a valid criticism of
their sloppy attack on those who would oppose the TSA:</P>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-STYLE: italic; MARGIN: 1.5em 0px 1.5em 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">My
co-author, Yasha Levine whose grandfather survived Stalins GULAGs
fled the Soviet Union to America to escape anti-Semitism. So we believe
that even Greenwald can understand what a gigantic bummer, for lack of a
better word, its been for us to come back to America, and to find
ourselves attacked and frankly slandered for being alleged government
oppressors.</P></BLOCKQUOTE>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Defending
the TSA in this case does in fact put Ames and Levine on the wrong side of
an issue that defies party affiliations and is essentially a core principle
of any free society. If they don't want to be seen as defenders of the TSA,
then perhaps they should stop defending the TSA.</P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 1.5em; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia,serif; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">But
what is most distasteful is that a criticism of the bad journalism on
display in their original piece has somehow been made into an attack on a
grandson of a Jewish Soviet refugee. Seriously? What does Levine's heritage
have to do with a valid criticism of an article he wrote? Nothing. Relying
on the victim card only further illustrates the lack of ethics on display
here.<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><EM
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-STYLE: italic; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; FONT-FAMILY: inherit; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 15px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">The
Nation</EM><SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>owes Tyner an
apology at the very least.</P></DIV></SPAN></SPAN><BR
class=Apple-interchange-newline>
<P>
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