Based on some recent incidents, let me reiterate: If you are the owner of a photo that appears on this site and wish it removed, you don’t need to get all legal and send threatening letters and takedown notices; just email me with the photo’s URL or leave a comment on the offending post and I will gladly remove it.
In other words…
Mark Alexander
You’re a bad man. You’re a very bad man!
Irreverent, independent, and often snarky partnered married gay boomer and doggie dad who is tired of moral pontification by hypocritical conservative assholes and hate filled religious bigots.
This blog is NSFW and intended for adults only.
It may contain unapologetically liberal diatribes and photos of naked men, either alone or together, doing things that may cause inexplicable erections among certain sanctimonious anti-gay Republican congressmen. In addition to my personal photography, images displayed here have been pulled from the internet.
NO news operative should ever express a personal opinion on any public person, period. Especially without any supporting data. NOR should they make comments related to “they deserved what happened”, either. To me, those comments were highly unprofessional, which those comments are supposed to be seasoned professionals.
BUT they were just setting themselves up to be “the authority” on those matters. Judge and jury all together.
Mr. Dowd was probably being polite in his comments, by comparison. I have not figured out why Mr. Kirk was so-loved by so many and why. To me, he was just another straight white guy with a mix of religion and ultra-conservative views. Certainly, he was young, but was also “My way or the highway” in so many religious areas. NOT the “Christianity” many perceive, just staunchly religious. And yes, such orientations can be “divisive”. Which made Mr. Dowd’s firing into “the sacrificial goat” situation.
The other side of the deal is that Mr. Kirk was making money off what he was doing. Apparently lots of it, like the mega-church ministers who do tv evangelical shows. “God’s work” pays very well, as has been proven time and time again, over the decades.
“Free speech is free speech”, yet it is against the law to sneak into a crowded theatre and yell “FIRE!”, to cause hurried exits of patrons.
What is missing from the Pelosi and Carter comments is “respectful speech”. Which can mean reporting without any “additions” which can be perceived to be personal conjecture.
By comparison, Mr. Dowd’s comments would fit my definition of “respectful speech”. Although Mr. Kirk’s supporters would claim otherwise. As he was their hero, their “leader”, their person to seek to emulate.
Over the last years, there has been far too much dialogue about “free speech in our society. Internet portals can limit what is posted on their platforms, because THEY own those platforms. Not unlike a parent telling a child “As long as you are under MY roof, you’ll follow my rules”.
Last Saturday, a 25 yr old (with a masters degree) made the statement “It is hard to be woke. It takes a lot of effort to stay up with things.” I guess that is why some dislike “woke people”? They can’t or don’t know how to keep up? Too much effort? BTAIM