Huffington Post Removes Cenk's Blog On Loughner Shootings

[ihavenobias]

Cenk Uygur's blog on Jared Loughner was http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur/was-jared-loughners-act-p_b_807178.html?ref=tw|removed by The Huffington Post>. Here is Cenk's statement on the issue:

Huffington Post decided to pull the blog down. They used their editorial discretion. I disagree with their decision, but it is their decision to make. The blog is now up on our website. I stand 100% behind it.

You can read the blog here: http://www.theyoungturks.com/story/2011/1/11/121621/205/Diary/Was-Jared-Loughner-s-Act-Political-|Was Jared Loughner's Act Political?>

Conservative John Romano http://yesbuthowever.com/huff-po-pulls-editorial-5000233/|wrote> that even though he disagrees with most of Cenk's opinions expressed in the blog, Huffington Post should not have removed it. Also, I should point out that Arianna Huffington has been a guest on our show several times, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW2E7YClAv4|most recently to discuss her book> Third World America. At any rate, the first issue is if you agree with Cenk's blog. The second issue is if HuffPo was right to remove it. My personal opinion is that HuffPo is trying to create a 'let's all get along', bipartisan environment after the AZ shootings. I say that based on http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/arizona-shootings-our-mom_b_807104.html|Arianna's latest blog> which you may of course interpret differently.

PS---On Topic TYT Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyqmZs0VoPw|Giffords Shooting - Right Wing Media & Politicians To Blame?>

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. I had missed it. Thanks for the link!

[ihavenobias]

33. Update: Statement from Huffington Post

Reported http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlla/huffpo-takes-down-cenk-uygur-blog-post_b20345|here> (see link for Cenk's reaction):

Our goal has always been to avoid inflammatory posts, as well as those that seek to make connections that are not supported by the evidence. Since Saturday’s tragic shootings, all of our editors have been alerted to pay extra attention to our policy. We love having Cenk’s voice as part of our mix and appreciate the passion he brings to his argument but, for us, this post fell outside our editorial guidelines.

[coalition_unwilling]

48. And just exactly WHY did Cenk's argument fall outside the HuffPo's

editorial guidelines? It is neither inflammatory - Cenk does not call for retaliatory action of any sort -- nor does it to my mind make connections that are not supported by the evidence. Everything Cenk writes finds support in the evidence. He says forthrightly that the shootings were psychotic AND political.

HuffPo has lost some credibility here.

[EFerrari]

50. Give me a fucking break. They let Palin skate for years but Cenk describes it

and he's out of line?

That's hilarious.

One more reason never to go over there.

[FourScore]

62. Poor judgement on the part of HuffPost.

Cenk speaks for most of us in his post. And let's face it, he's right.

[pghtytfan]

47. Kick

Shameful on HuffPo's Part

[Hissyspit]

51. Here's where I posted it about 24 hours ago:

After several hours and a kick by me, it only had a couple of recs. :)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x171570


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur/was-jared-loug...

Cenk Uygur
Host of The Young Turks

Was Jared Loughner's Act Political

Posted: January 11, 2011 03:27 AM

- snip -

But why does the act have to be either psychotic or political? It's obviously both. It was a psychotic act driven by his political beliefs. What's so hard to understand about that?

Then, the next question is whether both sides are equally at fault. Again, I'm confused by this question. What the hell did the Democrats or liberals do here? Nothing, except get shot. How can the media possibly attach false equivalency to this? Are the Democrats equally culpable for getting shot as the conservatives are for shooting them?

- snip -

Come on, this is all a smoke screen to make sure people don't see what's going on here. In the last two years, there have been dozens of attacks and shootings aimed at government officials and political organizations. Every single one of them was directed at liberals, Democrats or the government. Now we're to believe that's the world's largest coincidence?

The conservative hate-mongers don't create psychos. We get that there will always be disturbed individuals out there. But the right-wing directs these lunatics to a source. They channel their fear, anger and paranoia -- and they point them toward the Democrats. They use them as hate-seeking missiles.

- snip -

How the hell are we supposed to point out the problem if we can't mention the issue for fear of being charged with political exploitation? Would it be exploiting the tragedy of the BP oil spill to point out that maybe we should be a little careful about oil drilling? Or are we not supposed to make the most obvious points so that we don't offend the other political side's delicate sensibilities?

MORE

[ihavenobias]

58. Cenk's Follow-Up Video

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x542853

[EFerrari]

2. Thanks for the update. n/t

[kestrel91316]

3. At this late date, "let's all get along" = appeasement, if not collaboration.

[HuckleB]

18. +1

[seabeyond]

36. another +1. at least we are seeing it is a purposeful effort and not our imagination to push

this perspective

[CherylK]

59. + 1

:thumbsup:

[Whisp]

4. what happened to Cenk? he's making some sense.

[madfloridian]

5. Thanks for posting that link. When someone fights back, they gang up.

It's ridiculous. And our side refuses to come right out and say that the right wing has targeted us for years....and they have and they still are today.

It's really sickening how fearful sites become when the right starts in on them.

[valerief]

6. Cenk is sooooooo right! What's wrong with Arianna? nt

[upi402]

7. Wow, that's a disappointment. Cenk is 100% right. n/t

[Hutzpa]

8. The problem with America lately is that

everybody is trying to act intelligent, the facts are there for all to see and yet
people are making assertion that violence is on both sides, only a complete moron
would believe that.

Can they tell me the last time a liberal shoot a republican?

Who where the people showing up at rallies with automatic riffles?

I will be waiting for an answer.

[seabeyond]

37. +1/ and working hard to keep quite when someone spells it out clearly. agenda set. nt

[ejbr]

9. k & r n/t

[Enrique]

10. what about the people that hate both Cenk and HuffPo?

this will confuse them. :crazy:

[northoftheborder]

11. Huffpost just went down a notch in my opinion.

[StopTheNeoCons]

17. +1

[Canuckistanian]

42. +10

[hlthe2b]

12. That is DAMNED ridiculous...

I hope she gets swamped with complaints.

[enough]

13. Seems strange that Huff Post removed it. Doesn't seem that different from other

opinions expressed there in the past couple of days.

TO my mind, the central point is absolutely clear. This was not random. A targeted attempt was made on an elected official of the United States of America. It was therefore political. Cenk expresses it clearly.

[tavalon]

14. Wow, everyone is skittish!

That was a completely reasonable analysis and it really didn't require the addendum. People were being obtuse.

[JuniperLea]

15. I disagree with him...

This is about a mentally impared loner looking to be a big man on campus. Ideology has nothing to do with it. It's about being a hero and a martyr and impressing hateful people.

[HuckleB]

19. That's not the whole story...

... if not for the vitriolic hate pushed by the right, he wouldn't have had anyone to tell him who to target, nor anyone to impress.

[JuniperLea]

21. Exactly right...

It could have been any hate group... he could have joined with Phelps or someone else. Odds are he has heard a lot of the hate rhetoric. I'm wondering if this is part of the reason for his parents feeling so badly. Looks like they have lawyered themselves up too.

[Johonny]

29. It's hard to deny the rhetoric created an atmosphere

where politicians seemed to be endorsing violent acts on one another. Maybe he didn't see anyone specific act, but it's hard to miss the atmosphere in the last election. Particularly in his district, in his state!

Either way it should give any sane person a pause to say "you know what I think I'll be more careful from now on, not to endorse the same acts this insane person just did."

[ihavenobias]

25. Clarifications for critics (doesn't directly address your point but you're the first critic so...)

From Cenk's blog in the OP:

I didn't think these clarifications were necessary, but apparently they are for some. So, here it goes.

1. I am not saying all conservatives are responsible. I got an e-mail from a conservative saying I am blaming him for breathing. I am not blaming him at all (unless he had a national platform and talked about "targeting" liberals, Democrats, etc.), let alone for breathing.

2. I don't believe the proper remedy is limiting anyone's freedom of speech. I never suggested that. In fact, I am sure if anyone passed such a law, not only would it be unconstitutional, but it would be almost exclusively used against the left.

2A. Of course, I don't mind Rush Limbaugh or Sarah Palin attacking Democrats. That's their job. I am asking them to use some caution in how they frame their attacks and not to use violent imagery that eggs people on.

On the show, I was very specific on what kinds of language I was referring to (I also have a link in the story above to examples). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyqmZs0VoPw|Here is the video where I list some of the examples of conservatives using violent imagery>.

3. I don't think that Jared Loughner necessarily listened to an episode of the Glenn Beck show and then went and did this (although others, like Byron Williams did specifically do just that). I am saying that these conservative leaders are purposely creating an environment in which this type of violence festers.

4. Lastly, I am not saying that these conservative leaders celebrated this news or wanted this specific outcome. I assume they are still human. But they knew, or should have known, that they were creating the environment that led to this kind of violence -- and they didn't give a damn.

What did you think was going to happen when you kept telling people to grab their guns, the government was endangering their family and way of life and that they should defend themselves? This was going to happen. Don't pretend otherwise.

[hlthe2b]

28. It still ought to be posted... Since when is HuffPO open only to

one POV? She certainly bends over backwards to include RW opinions.

[stanwyck]

32. HuffPo won't post 1/2 of my comments - and they're tame

Seriously. I follow their rules - no personal attacks, no cursing...very moderate. Not sure what their mods use as standards. Maybe I'm just too "liberal". They're toning down my non-vitriol. It's so toned down it's non-existent.

[Canuckistanian]

43. No, it isn't ideology

It much more primal than that. Loughner just attacked someone who other people told him was a "bad person".

It really doesn't have to be much more than that.

[disillusioned73]

63. A hero to whom??

[somone]

16. WTF

Cenk was stating the obvious

[baldguy]

20. Shit.

Speak the truth, get silenced.

[fascisthunter]

22. No Courage... how Nauseating... we are on our own

bunch of fucking wimps

[Waiting For Everyman]

23. What! What nonsense is this now

Will go read. Thanks for letting us know.

Jeez.

[Mojeoux]

24. People are kind of overlooking the influence of Jesse Jelly

The Republican guy who ran against Gifford in this last election, posed with guns all the time. He wore a kind of camouflage uniform too. The fox news pun-dint, said he was just showing off that he was a veteran.

So this guy was local and may have been more of a hero to young Jared, than we have recognized.

[texshelters]

27. You are absolutely correct

but I have NOT ignore it.

It tells us a real difference between Dems and Rethugs.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[seabeyond]

38. +1. nt

[texshelters]

26. Here is what Palin and her ilk need to learn about disagreement...

while I disagree with the HuffPo removing a truthful blog that lays the facts out, facts we need to hear, I will not use violent language or ask them to be "taken out".

HuffPo acts cowardly in this case. Usually they are pretty good.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[Amerigo Vespucci]

30. HuffPo also scrubs the majority of Dick Cheney comments from readers

Next time they post a Cheney story, read the comments. Half of them start off with "I know the mods are going to delete this, but..."

[WillyT]

31. So Apparently... HuffPo Has Become "Mainstream"...

Don't wanna rock the boat...

:puke:

[upi402]

34. Do I rec this, or unrec?

I disagree with censoring Cenk - ESPECIALLY when he's right. So do I rec the awareness building OP or unrec cuz the censoring stinks?

[ihavenobias]

35. Based on your support of Cenk you Rec to increase awareness.

Also, see my update:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x177128#178338

[ohheckyeah]

39. I happen to agree with Cenk

but it's Huffington's website. I never did like that site anyway. It's full of gossipy garbage and all kinds of ads. If one doesn't want to be censored the best thing is to have your own site. Someone emailed me demanding I take something off my blog....ha ha, yeah, that will happen.....NOT. My blog, my decision. I'm sorry for Cenk, though.

[CherylK]

40. Bump

:mad:

[WillyT]

41. Grrr... Kick !!!

:mad:

:wtf:

[GeorgeGist]

44. Apparently HuffPost never heard Reagan claim ...

"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'"

[Ramulux]

45. Cenk is totally on point

Everyone needs to read this, I feel like a lot of people on this site are losing sight of some very basic truths about this assassination attempt and need to stop falling for the lies being pushed by the media regarding whether or not conservatives are to blame in any way.

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mzmolly]

49. I saw another scrubbed post earlier today. I don't get it.

Well said Cenk!

What did you think was going to happen when you kept telling people to grab their guns, the government was endangering their family and way of life and that they should defend themselves? This was going to happen. Don't pretend otherwise.

[Raine]

52. THANKS

for the link! :thumbsup:

[WilliamPitt]

53. Sounds like what I wrote.

HuffPo Fail.

[Rhiannon12866]

54. This issue sure is dividing people, look at this as CYA.

I happen to agree with Cenk and support his right to say it. :patriot:

[Angry Dragon]

55. k

[JoeyT]

56. He could have claimed homeopathy would have prevented it from happening.

Instead of deleting it, they'd have made sure it was on the front page.

[mmonk]

57. Cenk is like me. I'm not big on coincidence theories.

[MedfordTim]

60. K&R!

[disillusioned73]

61. Huff has been over run by rw trolls..

look @ the comments and you will know this - it will be drudge lite b4 long..