Thursday, August 3: Read the second post in this series: Don’t Plagiarize!
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This is the first post in a series called “How to Avoid a Blogosphere Scandal.”
The advice can apply to anyone at anytime, but the primary audience is bloggers.
In my short blogging career, I’ve discovered that the more critical and on-point you are about what’s going on in the world, the more detractors will try to dig up dirt on you, “out” you, or hunt for shortcomings, secrets, contradictions, and hypocrisy. People who don’t like you or what you have to say will always look for ways to trip you up. Don’t give them the satisfaction.
Disclosure
Most professions have rules or guidelines about disclosing conflicts or potential conflicts of interest. For example, the preamble to the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics states:
The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist’s credibility.
While we may question mainstream media’s truth-seeking ability or whether they truly strive to provide a “fair” account of events, I believe that in general, most journalists recognize that with a free press comes responsibility. The press serves as a check on government. Part of its duty is to make sure we the people know what’s going on. While I trust the media in theory to tell me the truth, I know that no human is truly objective. As long as I know the source of information is left-leaning, for example, I can make judgments about the fairness (or unfairness) of the coverage, even though events may be factual.
According to SPJ, “Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the public’s right to know.” That means reporters should disclose potential conflicts that interfere with the “right to know.” Whether or not bloggers consider themselves journalists, we should be under a similar obligation. Bloggers pride themselves on being transparent. That doesn’t mean we’re obligated to tell all our business. It means that we’re obligated to let readers know if we’re being paid to blog about a certain topic or person.
Continue reading How to Avoid a Blogosphere Scandal: Disclose!
Friday, August 4: This post is closed. Resume the discussion at Semen in the House.
Update (8/1): See KC Johnson’s latest Duke post, The Brodhead Files.
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Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong didn’t utter those exact words, but that’s the gist of his confession at a press conference last week. See WRAL.com for a video of the 30-minute conference.
The prosecutor said he “underestimated” the media’s interest in his weak yet titillating man-bites-dog case and “misjudged” the effect his many words — like labeling some of the lacrosse players “hooligans” — would have on the case. (For more of Nifong’s “misjudgments,” see Scottsboro, NYT, and Hauntings.)
In my lay opinion, he’s lying. While Nifong may be sorry now for not keeping his mouth shut then, I don’t believe for one second that he “underestimated” or “misjudged” anything. He manipulated left-leaning and jaded journalists to great effect. Bored with the usual crime stories, they soaked up every word.
I haven’t been following the Duke case for the last couple of weeks, but check out The Johnsville News and John in Carolina for updates. Also visit CourtTV.com’s Duke forum.
KC Johnson found Nifong’s campaign web site and dissects the heck out of it.
Meanwhile, the Charlotte Observer calls for a special prosecutor to handle the case.
Nifong should recuse himself from the case based on reckless comments made about the targets of his investigation while still gathering evidence and proceeding with this case based on what appears to be weak evidence. Can he make a case for forcible rape? Doubtful.
With no DNA connecting any of the three indicted players to the stripper-accuser (it was her “boyfriend’s” DNA!), conflicting tales woven by the stripper-accuser (see That Motion!), no physical evidence of forcible rape by the three indicted men (read the motions linked in this post), and serious timeframe issues, we’re left to believe that Nifong either has something huge but unrevealed or he’s a man so deep in #$%& that he can’t climb out.
It might be “mean-spirited” to say this, but I don’t like him. 
Addendum: Forgot to mention that Duke U. president Richard Brodhead responded to alumni criticism of his effete handling of the matter thus far.
Also, a reader wants to know if there’s a defense fund for the lacrosse players.
Later…There is indeed: click over to Friends of Duke University for info on contributing to the defense fund.
Photo source: WRAL
I write about race a lot because I feel I have something important and different to say than what’s currently coming from the airwaves, print and online media, black church pulpits, college campuses, and all the rest.
I have spoken out publicly against “black” groups, especially when people involved in such groups would scream bloody murder if “white” groups (which already exist on the fringes) went mainstream.
Now we have Choose Black America, a group of black Americans (Republicans and conservatives) opposed to illegal “immigration.”
I LOVE the idea of black Americans getting involved in the “immigration” debate and would encourage more to do so. But if the organization’s function and purpose is to lobby lawmakers and influence public policy, it ought to be race-neutral or its racial aim should be more subtle. It’s the exclusive title I don’t like.
Race-focused groups are not the problem; calling yourselves the “black” this or the “white” that, is the problem.
I know members of Choose Black America, and I support what they’re trying to do. But if we conservatives continue forming “black” groups, how can we rail against liberals who do? Illegal “immigration” hurts all of us (see How Unskilled Immigrants Hurt Our Economy), even the vain elites who support it. Why not call yourselves “Choose America”?
I think I know what white readers have to say about this. Let’s hear it. And what do you black conservative readers think? Do you share my view on this?
If I had my laptop with me, I’d live-blog this event. See Moral Reconstruction post below. But I’m on the Treo. Blogging this is difficult. One cool thing so far: John M. called my name before I approached him. He remembered meeting me two years ago and knows my work. 
Update (6:20 p.m.): Great event. I’ll update with a summary and photos (I’ll also post photos here) tomorrow and open the post for commenting.
Update II (7/27 @ the crack of dawn): Moral Reconstruction: A Model for Urban Transformation was a refreshing diversion from typical discussions about race, culture, inner cities, poverty, etc. Although participants shared the view that many problems in inner cities are exacerbated by immoral and destructive behavior, each had slighly different ideas about solutions.
Spiritual Solutions
Reverend Jesse L. Peterson, founder of Brotherhood Organization for A New Destiny (BOND), which counsels boys and men and helps them build good moral character, is not popular among black liberals for obvious reasons. Last year he got to the heart of the Katrina problem and blamed the people for not helping themselves. Either “Moral poverty cost blacks in New Orleans” (see his column archives) or one of his other Katrina columns was widely disseminated and discussed. A white Congressman made news and was branded a racist after he e-mailed the piece to various people.
Peterson is the author of SCAM: How the Black Leadership Exploits Black America (reviewed here and here).
Reverend Grant Storm (pictured left with Ward Connerly) is a minister and activist in New Orleans who believes, like all Bible-believing Christians, that man is dead in his sins and needs spiritual cleansing. Without addressing spiritual poverty, there’s little point talking about “morality.” Without God, what is morality? Whose morality is it? Storm, Peterson, and I believe that people are responsible for their own behavior but agree that government dependency makes it easier for people to give in to their sin nature.
Filed under: BC Wisdom, Conservatives, Faith, Pictures, Race Preferences
Give me your maniacs, your moochers, your huddled terrorist cells yearning to kill and destroy…
Have you ever heard of Michael J. Maxwell?
Chances are you haven’t.
Maxwell is the former director of the Office of Security and Investigations, part of Citizenship and Immigration Services. In April, he testified before a House subcommittee about fraud and corruption in his department. The national security breaches in our own Department of Homeland Security are alarming, but Maxwell’s testimony received minimal coverage. I suppose it’s up to mere bloggers to get the word out: The trouble with U.S. immigration policy. (Part I and Part II)
Why do the media beat some stories to death but barely touch others? I don’t have the energy to try to answer the question. I’ll leave it up to you because I’m in shock…over the lack of media coverage or follow-up…over the absence of outrage about Maxwell’s findings.
Heads should roll over this, beginning with one in particular in the White House.
Testimony:
- Checking Terrorism at the Border (PDF) — Maxwell’s testimony
- Full transcript (HTML)
- Full transcript (PDF)
- Webcast
News coverage:
Filed under: Illegal Aliens, War - Islamofascism
If you’re in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday swing by the Heritage Foundation for a discussion about what people really need to focus on: morality. I’ve blogged time and again that immorality, not racism or any other “ism,” is the most pressing problem in “inner cities” and urban areas.
Drug and excessive alcohol use, criminality, illegitimacy, government dependency, refusal to work — unless people are willing to give up these destructive things, there is little point in talking about economics, or entrepreneurship, or raising the academic bar. When destructive factors disproportionately affect a racial group, that group must be honest about what’s going on and individuals must consciously make an effort to change and reverse the generational pattern.
That’s what I think, anyway. Nothing else seems to be working, so at this point, my ideas are just as valid as anyone else’s.
Panelists for Moral Reconstruction: A Model for Urban Transformation Conference include John McWhorter (latest op-ed, Ending Victim-Like Thinking — also see these must-reads: Mainstreaming Men and Defined by defiance) and Ward Connerly. Location: 214 Massachusetts Ave NE. Date: July 26. Time: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The blurb:
Our nation’s Gulf Coast Region continues to face serious and ongoing problems in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This Town Hall style Conference will focus on solutions to these vexing policy issues. Transformation of the human spirit, however, is a key ingredient, because the destruction of this spirit is at the heart of the great breakdown witnessed during and following in the wake of these natural disasters. Our conference will seek to outline options and identify solutions that could serve as a model for rebuilding, not only the Gulf Coast, but also for transforming America’s inner cities and urban areas.
Hope to see you there.
Related posts:
- Vanguard
- Star Parker’s Forum At The Cato Institute
- Individuality
- Cowboy Capitalism
- How Not To Be Poor
- Black Conservatives and Black Liberals: What’s the Difference?
- New Orleans and Jackson, Mississippi, on Lockdown
- The Burden of Acting White
- Michigan Civil Rights Initiative
- Baby Daddy
- Black Marriage
Monday, July 24: The interview was for an article (about blogging) and a tentative podcast for the Baltimore Sun. The article will be published in late August. I’ll keep you posted. One reason I think the interview went very well is because the story won’t be political. And the journalist isn’t the typical left-leaning type with a typical leftist slant already in mind.
Last year I was interviewed by a reporter from the Baltimore Sun for a story on actor Morgan Freeman’s remarks about Black History Month. Freeman said the whole thing is ridiculous and unnecessary. I agreed. My quotes weren’t included in the story. In fact, the only quotes included were from people who support BHM and disagreed with Freeman.
Update (7/20): The Pew Internet and American Life Project has released a new report on blogging. Among the findings: most blogs are personal and over half the bloggers surveyed were under 30. The researchers felt it necessary to point out that bloggers are more ethnically diverse than ordinary Internet users.
The sample size is small. I’m confident that somebody, somewhere is working on a massive blogging survey.
I’m doing an interview this afternoon with a national newspaper for an article and/or podcast. The topic? What else? 
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Look at those big blue balls! (And “brown” ones, too!) I didn’t know Uranus and Neptune were that much larger than Earth, did you? But there is no life on those planets.
Filed under: Bloggers, Faith, Me, Me, Me
Wednesday, July 19: A commenter provided a link to an article on black slaveowners.
Memo to anyone who takes the NAACP seriously. The national NAACP is a social club of limousine liberal Negroes who care nothing about “poor” blacks or “social justice.” The organization’s usefulness is over, part of ancient history.
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I know you loyal readers are on the edge of your seats every morning waiting for my riveting commentary, but I don’t have anything to say today.
Well, not really. (Come on! You know me better than that.) I thought I’d comment on the perpetual conflict in the Middle East from a Christian perspective and link to Cal Thomas’s latest column, Understanding the temper of the times, but I changed my mind. I’ll save my ideas for an article I’m writing for The Jerusalem Connection magazine.
Then I had a spark of motivation to write a “Give it up, GOP!” post after reading an article about national Republicans’ collective whine about “reaching out” to black voters and black voters’ collective whine about the “uncaring” GOP. Then I lost the spark. Boring, trite…
Last week someone asked me to blog about slavery reparations, which I intended to do last week. But more important matters came up, like contemplating the expansion of the universe and what effect, if any, it has on little old me.
Seriously, though, this is my opinion on slavery reparations: Reparations are given to someone who has suffered at the hands of another. But since all American slaveowners — white and black — are dead and no black currently living was ever owned by a white American (just a guess), there is no one to receive reparations from and no one to pay reparations to.
But let’s suppose we [the people] redefine reparations just for blacks and say, “OK, let’s make amends to the descendants of those harmed and force the ancestors of the perpetrators to send each of them a big fat check to make up for the bondage thing.”
Wednesday, July 19: Robert KC Johnson blogs about a letter from Duke alumni to the university’s administration condemning their failure to protect the students. Check it out.
A commenter provided a link to an article in Duke’s student newspaper. Read Living A Nightmare: LAX Players Speak Out.
Tuesday, July 18: An interesting yet predictable trend has developed in the Duke case. Newspapers have toned down the rhetoric considerably since the defense began releasing evidence. It’s important that bloggers and others stay on top of the coverage and ask questions. That’s what I’m doing, and so is John in Carolina. Read what he has to say about the News & Observer’s change in attitude. “The N&O’s cover up of its role in the Duke lacrosse hoax has begun,” he writes.
(Hat tip: The Johnsville News)
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***Scroll down for live-blogging of today’s rape case hearing. No, not this rape case, but this obviously phony one. I doubt the former will make it to Court TV***
Salacious — Appealing to or stimulating sexual desire; lascivious. Lustful; bawdy
Let’s get real, people. Fools commit crimes every day in this country, and some crime coverage sells more newspapers than others. Media companies are in business to make money, and “sexy” stories sell.
Journalists and talking heads jumped on the Duke “gang-rape” story because the accused rapists weren’t your garden-variety thugs. They’re “rich,” “privileged” students from a southern “Ivy League” university. And they’re white.
The accuser is a divorced mother who came to their house party to take off her clothes and dance for $400. And she’s black.
BOOM!
