What is the Bigger Scandal?

by Mary

A few days ago Kos said something he later admitted was said in the heat of anger. This has caused a flame war in the blogtopia (phrase coined by skippy) especially since Markos has gained so much prominence not only as a highly popular blogger, but also as someone who has created a community of passionate and active Democratic activists. It was Markos who got the DNC to set up the ePatriot buttons that are now prominently displayed by many bloggers to help provide much needed funds to the party. Markos has been tireless in promoting the party and backing the Democratic candidates.

So isn't it a scandal that the rightwing bloggers who consist of the blogtopia's VWRC can create a firestorm designed to shut him up? A firestorm that can intimidate Democratic candidates, including the John Kerry blog, to remove their links to Daily Kos? Why did the Kerry blog do that? How come they didn't instead have the sense to add a disclaimer like the one provided by the DCCC blog? Here is what the Stakeholder has to say about the sites they link:

(Opinions Expressed by these sites are not necessarily those held by us. So don't even try to blame us for things they say. It will just make you look lame. Seriously.)

This sounds just like something you'd expect Nancy Pelosi to say and reflects the type of leadership that she brings to the House. No squirming and saying, gosh, we must repudiate someone who says something silly at times.

Delinking Daily Kos makes the Kerry blog look like Kerry can be rolled. And those candidates that pulled their ads? Will they pull their ads from a TV station if someone there says something they disagree with? As Max said, letting people like Instapundit set the tone is bad, especially when IP is such a hypocrite himself. Who will be the next target for the rightwing bloggers?

Afterthought: Who of us hasn't said something we later regret? One problem with this war based on lies is that it brings out our passions and anger because there are no good answers these days. We are reaping the bitter harvest of the misleader who works to bring out the worst in all of us. As a society and a community we are paying for the lies and corruption of the warmongers who invaded Iraq for their own gain and so created the hatred for Americans that was manifested in Fallujah the other day. Nevertheless, our task is to try to maintain a sense of human connection to those that have died in this awful war and to find ways to bring peace to the region, to our nation and in our hearts. And we need to create an environment where our leaders can gain courage from us to stand up against the hatred and dishonest charges from those who glory in war.