RIGHT AND LEFT MISSING THE POINT ON BEAUCHAMP
They didn't vet the story because of nepotism, narrative, and "fellow feeling". Their discussions of this guy clearly indicate that they saw him as a fellow writer with which they had a bond as intellectuals and journalists, as well as added credibility through his wife.
It also fit their overall antiwar, anti-soldiering narrative, so it gets less vetted than something that contradicts the narrative. In this way, it's of a piece with the Nifong Duke mess and the Dan Rather episode: "fake but accurate".
Comment Posted By Foobarista On 28.07.2007 @ 16:18
STOP OVERREACTING TO TERRORISTS?
The key point to this sort of "courage" is like most elements of pacifism: it requires that you take a principled stance and resolutely do nothing. If you actually do anything, you're "overreacting" and "becoming just like the terrorists". And if you do anything, you may end up needing to do something morally ambiguous like killing bad guys - after all, don't they deserve their day in court?
The only way to keep one's soul pure is to do absolutely nothing, and denounce those who do.
Comment Posted By Foobarista On 30.06.2007 @ 16:07
SOY IN THE BOY GIVES HIM CURLS LIKE A GIRL
You're right - that story has absorbed all the linkbait in the known universe, and a few neighboring ones in the multiverse besides - at least for this week...
Comment Posted By Foobarista On 12.12.2006 @ 21:41