Silenced? Not!!!

Rather, Melissa McEwan gives us her perspective on being targeted by the right-wing smear machine; Amanda Marcotte tells her side of the story in Salon; and Salon Editor Joan Walsh provides some additional background to this and some related stories, as the 2008 election cycle gets underway.

Although I will admit that I prefer to use a different tone and vocabulary than many other liberal or progressive bloggers-- it's my age!-- I cannot abide the treatment meted out to the two bloggers whose careers with the Edwards campaign were so abruptly aborted.

Throughout a thread of more than 1000 comments, not a single "troll," sincere conservative, or right-wing-nut could or would give any examples of how Shakespeare's Sister (aka Melissa McEwan) had attacked Catholicism as a religion, or anyone else for being Catholic. Like many others who know a lot about Catholicism and other religions, McEwan feels free to criticize a religion that treats women as second or third-class citizens. Which is not to be confused with attacking someone for any piece of their identity... the favorite tactic of white men folks like William Donohue and their priestesses, e.g. Michelle Malkin and Ann Coulter.

Marcotte has perhaps been more naive in thinking that her flavor of tirades would not draw the attention her blog posts have received. Still... isn't that what our soldiers overseas are fighting for? Freedom of speech... among other things-- even, or especially, for those with whom we may disagree? I grew up as a military brat, and that notion was definitely instilled in me during my whole life. Now am I supposed to think that was all a lie, too?

Salon kept me nearly sane during the dark years that began with Clinton's impeachment in 1998... there was so little else available... Krugman, Ivins, and a few others. Meanwhile, the right-wing noise machine was and has been toiling away, allowing sloppy plagiarists such as Coulter to rake in a fortune with her slander and libel as a means to active the Republicans' electoral base.

Those days may not yet be long gone... but times are changing.

Marcotte and McEwan may have lost their opportunities to consult with a major presidential campaign-- in 2008-- but they are merely the bleeding edge, and best news of all... neither has been silenced.

Finally, just consider how pathetic a performance it has been for a big, old white man who consistently plays the victim card in his well-paid role as head of the Catholic League (which office he has very cleverly situated in close proximity to major cable and broadcast news studios in Manhattan), to incite his virtual minions to stalk and harrass two young women into resigning their positions, because they are concerned for their own and their families' safety. Hardly what anyone could call a fair fight.

I can hardly wait to see the movie version. Who would possibly be willing to play Donohue?