I just read the stated purpose of Blogdex while searching for this link. I guess tracking how these ideas move through the contemporary intellectual awareness is a worthy goal. Thankfully, I read Blogdex and am prepared to answer this insidious shit.

1. The power of the media is easily checked. I think that's why we've chosen to give it special protections. It is truly amazing how readily these conservatives will overlook their fundamental principles when it suits a purpose. There is a basic component to the free marketplace of ideas that can provide constructive influence- don't buy it. This debacle will negatively impact the circulation figures of Newsweek. But the magazine will most likely have a chance to right itself and become a better information source. He also pigpiles, here, a slander and libel protection argument for public figures. They want to make sure nothing bad is said about that juiceball with the burnt-out nose they've mistakenly taken as President and hero. Again, too bad they don't recognize they're using a defense more readily adaptable to Newsweek and Dan Rather then it is to the war in Iraq- Yeah we were a little off but basically right. Right now, the disputed factual element in the Newsweek story seems to be whether the whole Koran was flushed or just pages of it. And as for the somewhat fickled nature of the electorate/media consumers; suck it up, it saved Shrub's ass. The body politic, as it justly meanders, can't always be counted on to make the correct choice immediately.

2. Protest as he might, this is just the same ol' jingoistic rag. I've got another take on this. If this perceptual element to the present struggle is so profoundly evident, why didn't their divinely guided, fearless leaders make damn sure our asses were covered on these points. It certainly can't be attributed solely to a vast media conspiracy that it has been one long string of screw-ups. The people responsible in every one of these abusive situations should be called to account. Fat chance; see the 9-11 commission and performance rewards for those goofy intelligence analysts. Sorry bub, we still have enough freedom left to knock some holes in Shrub's dingy (the S.S. Second Term). Maybe that way we can get our feet back on firm ground. This chap says he knows the crowd over in Smartland. I doubt it, not even a nodding acquaintance. He launches into the typical attack on smarty-pants elites. Sparky, let me refer you to the above section one. Shifting demographics and media consumption, presently, can't relieve the public from being largely responsible for the media landscape. There is something obscenely ironic about the thinking that says it is the ultimate expression of economic freedom that the average person can flock to buy discount goods made by Chinese prisoners but they need constraints on their choices in the free marketplace of news.

3. This is the section where the chap goes off the deep end. I'm a humanist and agnostic, all his historical examples of religious persecution fall on cynical ears here. I do my utmost to treat all you mud-hut dwelling, rhune-casting savages with the greatest of respect (at least from an anthropological standpoint). But it also comes back to that old thing about how the best thing all you god-fearin' wretches do is send each other to meet god. His cultural prejudices are here on display and they are the same that have brought about this nasty situation. And his not so deft attempt at defending those shortcomings does not go without notice. God bless ém.

4. Haven't seen the movie but right out of the gate I'm skeptical that Movieland can provide insights into the complicated geopolitical condition. Oh yeah, and see section three above.

5. Funny, my guess is that he and his ilk are a whole lot closer to Puritans than I'll ever be.

(PS- His take on the history of Puritans in England is off the mark, by about a mile. I remember enough of American history to know they landed here because of religious persecution. Wikipedia describes a situation where they were always at odds with the Church of England. Had to check on that. The poor shlub just can't help being wrong.)