Extreme Right-Wing Websites (like cnsnews.com)

[Bri]

Of course there are websites that express those views, since there are a gazillion websites out there.

This is a silly point.

Than what is YOUR point since he's clearly saying exactly that, and since he's clearly including the comments of this web site? The observations made in the OP seems to be supported by the evidence.

-Bri

 

[Barber Shop]

Yes.

I feel that most of the criticisms of my OP were not really relevant to my OP.

But still, in the intersests of moving on and hopefully addressing a topic I feel is important and interesting, I have made certain clarifications and added certain qualifiers.

 

[Barber Shop]

You also said very clearly that you were including the comments and, unless I misunderstood, the gist of your thread was that the extreme right views you listed are more prevalent than you had previously thought before observing the number and nature of the comments.

-Bri

Yes.

That is what I was hoping to discuss.

 

[Pardalis]

Than what is YOUR point since he's clearly saying exactly that, and since he's clearly including the comments of this web site? The comments made in the OP seems to be supported by the evidence.

-Bri

If that was the point of the OP then it's even more irrelevant than I imagined.

Yes, somewhere on the internet you will find websites that promote extremist right-wing views.

Wow, what an insightful observation!

And you will also find somewhere on the internet websites that promote acupuncture for your pet.

 

[TheL8Elvis]

You say the worldview of these websites, not the worldview of the people who post comments, which are two completely different things, one of which is irrelevant.

Without readers, the website is mostly irrelevant, so I think the culture of the readers and the content of the site are more intertwined than you give credit for.

 

[Barber Shop]

If that was the point of the OP then it's even more irrelevant than I imagined.

Yes, somewhere on the internet you will find websites that promote extremist right-wing views.

Wow, what an insightful observation!

And you will also find somewhere on the internet websites that promote acupuncture for your pet.

You have spent a lot of time on this irrelevant thread...

Again, I have made certain distinctions and provided certain clarifications. I provided evidence, when asked for, that supports the claims in my OP.

I think the topic is interesting and important. You think it is irrelevant. Fine. Let's move on so that me and any others who don't think it is irrelevant can discuss.

 

[Bri]

Yes.

I feel that most of the criticisms of my OP were not really relevant to my OP.

But still, in the intersests of moving on and hopefully addressing a topic I feel is important and interesting, I have made certain clarifications and added certain qualifiers.

There are presidential candidates who have expressed views along lines similar to some of those posted in the second post. Asking for evidence of the prevalence of these views, but then restricting such evidence only to articles on a single web site doesn't really make sense to me.

-Bri

 

[Barber Shop]

My OP:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In a recent thread discussing the terrifying liberal plot of using Sesame Street to usher in a Marxist America, the OP provided a link to a website called cnsnews.com.

I have to say, reading that site was a real eye-opener. I have several thoughts after reading some of the articles and, even more significantly, the comments provided by their readers.

1) Some of our more extreme right-wingers here on JREF are not just trolls. They actually believe this stuff. They have peers who believe this stuff. Much of what was written on that website sounded EXACTLY like what gets posted here.

2) I think that these sites and other specifically right-wing media create a vacuum...A world where certain 'truths' are accepted. It would be rather difficult to hold some of these views if you are engaged with the larger world on a regular basis. After reading this stuff, you can really see where some of the JREF posters get their ideas. (Can we discuss this?)

3) I found some of the comments quite disturbing. Now, I realize with millions of being able to post on the web you will inevitably encounter something grotesque. But, the frequency of these comments was very high. Also, it is not so much the original comment but all of the 'LIKES' that are disturbing. No matter how racist, nonsensical, homophobic, paranoid, or conspiratorial the comment, at least 8 people will say 'Hey, I really LIKE that!'.

4) While it is certainly true that accusations of racism often get thrown at conservatives in a cheap and undeserved way, the folks posting at cnsnews.com don't help their case. There were some racist comments there, some subtle and some quite blatant (with several 'LIKES' attached of course...) Some of these people are the same ones who HATE being called racists.

5) Everything, and I mean everything, can somehow be linked to Obama, atheism, liberalism, or socialism. No matter how unrelated. The Black Death? Socialism. The Holocaust? Atheism. No story, no how matter banal, lacks some connection to this vast left-wing conspiracy.


I feel compelled to mention that this website does not represent mainstream conservatism and the views expressed on cnsnews.com would seem grotesque to most Republicans....

 

[Barber Shop]

One of my main points that the 'out there' views expressed so freely and frequently were are real eye-opener.

I guess I am just naive.

Or ignorant.

Or something...

 

[Bri]

If that was the point of the OP then it's even more irrelevant than I imagined.

Yes, somewhere on the internet you will find websites that promote extremist right-wing views.

I think you're mischaracterizing the main point of the OP. I don't think Barber Shop was expressing surprise that there are some people who think that way. I believe Barber Shop was expressing his surprise at the number and nature of the comments from people who think that way.

-Bri

 

[Barber Shop]

I think you're mischaracterizing the main point of the OP. I don't think Barber Shop was expressing surprise that there are some people who think that way. I believe Barber Shop was expressing his surprise at the number and nature of the comments from people who think that way.

-Bri

Yes.

 

[carlitos]

I comment on a conservative political site. I occasionally have to remind myself that the guy with whom I'm discussing fiscal policy or whatever really does believe that Obama's birth certificate was photoshopped, or that he's a biblical literalist.

 

[Brainster]

The worldview of these sites is quite strange:

a.I mean, these people REALLY BELIEVE there is a vast socialist plot to take over the country.

b. They REALLY BELIEVE that many or most black people are just lazy or addicted to drugs.

c. They REALLY BELIEVE that Christians and Christianity are under attack. (Despite being by far the majority religion in America and being firmly entrenched in American society.)

d. They REALLY BELIEVE that public schools really only exist to teach kids how to put on condoms and that homosexuality is great.

e. They REALLY BELIEVE that anyone who does not agree with them is not just of a different political mindset, but is actually an enemy of America.

f.They REALLY BELIEVE that there is a conspiracy to institute sharia (which somehow accompanies a conspiracy to institute Stalinism...)

g. They REALLY BELIEVE that Obama and company wants nohting more than to take money from hard-working, patriotic, freedom-loving, Christian, white people, and give it to crack-addicted black welfare mothers with 18 kids.

h. They REALLY BELIEVE that Obama is a secret Muslim (still).

i. They REALLY BELIEVE that Obama is not an American citizen (still).

You seem to have missed that this was the post I was responding to. And yes, Pardalis is right that I was asking for links to articles. If your argument is that these views are to be found in the comments section, it's moronic. Let me point out that there are quite a few 9-11 Truthers and Holocaust Deniers who post in the Conspiracy Theories subforum. Does that make this a Holocaust Denial website?

 

[Alferd_Packer]

Good, then this thread is irrelevant.

not really, because if the website fails to moderatte those coments, it says something about the the owners of the website.

How many of those commentors actively donate money to the website?

We don't know, but it is clear that when a site relies on user donations, the comments will activley reflect the minset of the financial backers of the site.

So, in other words, I don't think it is a given that the site is not responsible for the comments posted on it.

 

[Alferd_Packer]

Pardalis, why are you defending the website in the OP?

 

[Brainster]

not really, because if the website fails to moderatte those coments, it says something about the the owners of the website.

Maybe that they want to avoid liability for their comments section? Remember, if you moderate your comments you become liable for the ones that are left. Discussion here:

But it does cause blog owners to wonder about potential liability for material in comments, where those comments are moderated. If “moderation” means vetting and approval, it seems fairly obvious that the blog owner has published the material and might therefore be liable. A number of questions arise, however: what would be the liability where some comments are moderated and some are not, as is the case on Slaw, where once you’ve had an approved comment, your further comments bypass moderation? Would a blog publisher here, as has been suggested in England following Kaschke, be better off avoiding moderation altogether and only responding to complaints made after publication?

 

[Cobalt]

And you will also find somewhere on the internet websites that promote acupuncture for your pet.

Huh.

 

[Brainster]

Pardalis, why are you defending the website in the OP?

We are not. We are requesting that the OP prove his extraordinary claims about the site. I browsed the site briefly and did not find it extremist. Granted, I might not have dug deeply enough which is why I have requested that the OP back up his claims.

One example that the OP provided was this article:

Sesame Street Muppet Pitches Government Dependence: Free Food at School

Aside from the slanted title, the article itself is rather bland; I cannot imagine anybody finding anything seriously objectionable about it.

 

[Childlike Empress]

It looks like these guys are Buchanan-type conservatives too primitive for me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybercast_News_Service

The CNSnews.com (or Cybercast News Service), formerly called the Conservative News Service, is an American news website owned by the Media Research Center.[1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_Research_Center

The Media Research Center (MRC) is a content analysis organization based in Alexandria, Virginia, founded in 1987 by conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III. Its stated mission is to "prove — through sound scientific research — that liberal bias in the media does exist and undermines traditional American values" and to "neutralize [that bias's] impact on the American political scene".[1]

Maybe the "commentators" are bots?

 

[citizenzen]

Let me point out that there are quite a few 9-11 Truthers and Holocaust Deniers who post in the Conspiracy Theories subforum. Does that make this a Holocaust Denial website?

The difference may be that there are an ample number of people here that will post counter arguments in those cases. Now I haven't seen the comments the OP is referring to. However, if it is simply a conservative echo chamber, then there isn't the same balance one finds in forums such as JREF, where each side is challenged. That would be a key distinction in my mind.