It seems there are some conservatives who suffer from an unfortunate desire to be applauded by the left. While it is tiresome to see ostensibly right-thinking men and women prop up leftwing news outlets as guests and commentators, it is downright disgusting when they rush to offer quotes to publications that attack conservatives.
The leftist, establishment media is always looking for camera-chasing Conservative, Inc.-wannabes to participate in the virtual lynching of actual citizen-activists. And, all too often, they find accomplices willing to build themselves up by participating in the character assassination of activists seeking to champion real reform.
Let’s be clear: rarely, though not never, do these media-seekers join in directly attacking the conservatives. Instead, they give the leftwing attack-piece the veneer of respectability by being a “reasonable” voice who will offer pros and cons about whatever individual or entity is on the chopping block.
So guess which part gets the most play?
When someone from the leftwing media calls to say they are “working on a story” and are “hoping for perspective,” what they mean is that they have decided to attack someone who is effective, and want you to add a few logs on the pyre – if not maybe some gasoline. The correct course of action is to hang up, notify the subject of the coming attack, and leave it at that.
This was brought to mind recently when a reporter for Jeff Bezos’ leftwing Washington Post hounded me and others for a couple days looking for comments on a hatchet-job against the good folks at the True Texas Project. Sadly, I’m sure he found people willing to participate.
Let me be clear: It doesn’t matter what is said to a writer penning an attack piece. By talking to them, by legitimizing their work, the source has legitimized the attack.
For my part, as the publisher of a news entity, I have stopped giving interviews of any kind to the leftwing media – no matter the subject, and no matter how often they call. They are the enemy’s cheerleaders, and one is not served by pretending the establishment media can be honest brokers.
And, please, don’t try to sell me on how secretly conservative some particular print reporter or low-level news producer might be; they are not. Sure, at some happy hour they might have expressed a twinge of intellectual guilt over their employer pillaging our American heritage, but more often than not that was just the alcohol talking.
Yet the allure of having one’s name grace the pages of the New York Times or to be seen yammering on a cable channel is apparently too much temptation for some. They foolishly believe themselves so well-spoken, so persuasive, so likable, that they will overwhelm all opposition. It never happens that way. As Proverbs 13:30 puts it: “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
Let me add here that it is even worse when conservative organizations partner with explicitly leftwing media groups. In every case, it is a sign that the organization is no longer interested in serving anything but themselves.
We see the truth of what Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’”
Preening like a red-colored peacock for the leftwing media is at best an exercise in self-adulation. Unless one aims to be a pet of the radical left, resting tamely in a blue cage and trotted out for their amusement, conservatives should stop feeding the establishment media monster that exists to torment our allies and undermine our republic.
As a self-governing people in the 21st Century, we don’t need the dying establishment media to carry our message. And we certainly should not be participating in theirs. The First Amendment guarantees your right to be your own media.
So let’s stop legitimizing the establishment attack machine. Rather than entertain politicians by singing to the leftist media’s tune, conservative activists must be about the work of building each other up with truth and facts in the fight for liberty.
