James Fallows Gets Shrill and Unbalanced on the Media

James Fallows calls out David Mark of the Politico as exhibiting "classic and depressing Beltway 'could be perceived as problematic' style.... Please. If someone thinks certain views are outrageous, then say so. Not that they could be misperceived that way if not fully explained, et cetera."

I don't see why America needs journalists like David Mark, or organizations like the Politico. I really do not:

Jim Webb as "Confederate": I am underwhelmed by the latest "revelation" about him: that he has expressed sympathy and respect for Confederate soldiers, including many of his forbears.... First, this is hardly a secret or news. The dignity of ordinary Confederate troops and their battlefield leaders, as opposed to the evil of the southern slaveholding system, was a major theme in Webb's widely-noted and generally-praised book Born Fighting, published four years ago. In addition to that book, the main documentary proof of Webb's "problem" is a speech at the Confederate war memorial in 1990. That memorial, by the way, is in Arlington National Cemetery -- not in Richmond, Charleston, Natchez, etc. His speech contained a passage addressed to white descendants of the Confederate army that is hard to imagine coming from, say, David Duke:

The last twenty five years in this country have shown again and again that, despite the regrettable and well-publicized turmoil of the Civil Rights years, those Americans of African ancestry are the people with whom our [Southern whites'] history in this country most closely intertwines, whose struggles in an odd but compelling way most resemble our own, and whose rights as full citizens we above all should celebrate and insist upon....

Moreover, the article that "uncovers" this startling fact is written in classic and depressing Beltway "could be perceived as problematic" style. It doesn't flat-out say that there is anything wrong or illegitimate in Webb's views. In fact it includes one "to be sure" sentence: "There’s nothing scandalous in the paper trail, nothing that on its face would disqualify Webb from consideration for national office." But then we have:

Yet it veers into perilous waters since the slightest sign of support or statement of understanding of the Confederate cause has the potential to alienate African-Americans who are acutely sensitive to the topic. The distinctions Webb makes, however, tend not to receive a full airing in the heat of political debate. “Unless he is able to explain it, it would raise some questions,” [Ron] Walters said.

Please. If someone thinks certain views are outrageous, then say so. Not that they could be misperceived that way if not fully explained, et cetera.

Comments

[kharris]

"...the Confederate cause has the potential to alienate African-Americans..."

Or me, for another. To cast this as purely an issue of racial sensitivity is to cast it wrongly. My people come from a border state. If we are going to allow that historic sensibilities matter, what about those in the states which held few slaves or none, and ended up being battlegrounds for a cause they didn't support? What about those of us who are not black but are offended to the core by slaver as a practice and as an institution?

Cast wrongly? Maybe better to say dishonestly or stupidly. As with so many mistatements of reality in the political sphere, you have to admit to one or the other. After all these generations, writing about North/South issues as if the most important issues are Southern pride and racial sensibility is either mindless or dishonest.

[macheath]

On distinguishing valiant fighting by Confederates from the horrors of slavery, you can't do better than U.S. Grant in his Autobiography:

"I felt like anything rather than rejoicing at the downfall of a foe who had fought so long and valiantly, and had suffered so much for a cause, though that cause was, I believe, one of the worst for which a people ever fought, and one for which there was the least excuse."

[TheSocietalRetard]

Jim Webb has earned nothing but my utter and complete respect for his views and actions throughout his life, be they in Webb's writings, or in his actions as a public servent.

I'm hoping that Obama decides to pick Webb as his V.P. running mate; his response to Non-President Bush Jr.'s 2007 State of the Union Address still inspires me.

Men like Webb restore my faith that our government, and our country, can be great once again.

The Societal Retard

[Ken Houghton]

The Confederate Cause is advanced by Jim Webb?

He's not my choice for VP--for one thing, he endangers a Senate seat--but the idea of a shibboleth like that being worth mentioning seriously is just another indicator that you need to re-model your view of web-journalism:

The WaPo can be The Politico of the web without even trying.

[Francine]

Of course this is a trial balloon suggesting that republicans can attack Jim Webb by sticking a Confederate/White Power label on him (while proclaiming loudly how awful it is).

The Politico really isn't anything but a republican house organ. I like the idea of citizen journalists but I don't know if you should call employee newsletter writers journalists, either.