I am shocked and appalled at this breitbart-worthy piece in my small local community newspaper.

[malchickiwick]

I've lived here in Boulder City, NV, for about three years. It's a smallish town, originally built to house Hoover Dam workers, and we don't have casinos, so it doesn't feel like the rest of Vegas, but rather is insulated from the rest of the valley. Because of that, it lacks the diversity of the rest of the state as well, and I have found it to be on the red side; even today, after 95,000-plus deaths, one can still see the MAGA flags flying here and there around town.

That said, I have met many, many wonderful Democrats here in BC, whether just around town, at the gym, or whilst canvassing the town for Rep. Lee back in 2018. I've had some great conversations with people. And the D. caucus, which seems like a lifetime ago, was pretty well-attended here in town. (Full disclosure, I caucused for Warren.)

Anyway, the local rag, the BC Review, is pretty much a run of the mill small-town paper. It covers local events, sports, zoning issues, and lots of fluff. Like most other small-town papers I have read, it is also in dire need of a good copy editor. But mostly mom and apple pie and 4th of July parades -- that sort of paper. So it was a SHOCK to read the dangerous and deceitful diatribe that appeared in this week's paper. I will post a link to it below. I don't think I should post excerpts here, and hope it doesn't violate TOS to post the link. Of course, I am doing so only to raise awareness and solicit advice from you all -- every word of the piece is a wretched and malicious lie penned by a quisling former cop. BTW: It is the most-read piece in the paper this morning.

I guess my conundrum is this: How best to hold the paper accountable for publishing such a screed and putting the people of my community in danger?

Sure, I will write the obligatory LTE, putting my name out there, and I'm sure I will take some harassment for that from the occasional MAGA troll.

But what I'd really like to see is for the excoriation of the paper to go viral. Unfortunately, I eschew social media -- when FB debuted I predicted to my kids that it would lead to the fall of civilization as we know it, and said the same thing about Twitter a couple of years later. So on principle, I have always stayed off both platforms. So I guess that makes it kind of hypocritical that now I am hoping some social media whiz can help me flame my local newspaper. So, yes I realize it is hypocritical of me ... but anyone who wants to shame the publishers of the trash in the link, THANK YOU!!

https://bouldercityreview.com/opinion/virus-was-scam-to-get-political-control-60912/

[dawg day]

1. He sounds like one of those guys who are small-town tough-

A veteran and retired cop... so he says idiotic things like this:
Finally, May 25 is Memorial Day. I believe there is no better way to honor our war dead than by seizing control of our country from the petty tyrants at the state and local levels.

I think if he would have proclaimed that when he was in the military, he'd be in trouble. As it is, we can only point out how stupid he is. Does he think someone is faking all those deaths?

Then again, he probably believes the Sandy Hook families were all just actors getting paid to pretend.

[leftieNanner]

2. Whoa!! That was pretty furry!

I think you should write a LTE in response. There are a lot of topics that deserve your attention, but I think the one that you might mention is the "ballot harvesting" for Vote By Mail. The only instance of ballot harvesting that has been caught, investigated and prosecuted in recent years was done by republican operatives in North Carolina. Utah (a very red state) has been voting by mail for a long time with no problems. They are trying to demonize VBM now so that when Ass Face loses in November, they can point to that and try to change the results.

It is sad that your local paper gave this guy a Guest Opinion spot to spread his disinformation.

Go for it!!

[mrsadm]

3. Response on same page: "Science smashes coronavirus conspiracy theories"

The second linked article just below the conspiracy piece is, interestingly enough:

"Science smashes coronavirus conspiracy theories"

"...The U.S., and the world, must take decisive, even unpopular steps, to ensure that the coronavirus doesn’t also make a huge comeback.

What might bring about that deadly — and economically debilitating — coronavirus comeback? One way is the spread of misinformed conspiracy theories that encourage undermining critical public health interventions. Public health experts, some conspiracists suggest, are propagating a huge “scam” and “hoax” on the American people. Even if they concede that the coronavirus pandemic is real (an idea still challenging for many conspiracists), they nevertheless argue that the recommendations of public health professionals are merely political weapons to sway the November presidential election...."

[FM123]

4. Wow.

And I just noticed that he has over 5000 facebook likes by folks in the community that actually agree with his twisted thinking.

[JHB]

5. Guess who owns it...

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Review-Journal

The [Las Vegas] Review-Journal also operates several Nevada newspapers:

Boulder City Review – A weekly paper that debuted Oct. 29, 2009. The print edition is distributed on Thursday mornings.
Pahrump Valley Times – A bi-weekly newspaper. The print edition is distributed on Wednesday and Friday mornings.
Tonopah Times-Bonanza & Goldfield News – Serving communities in Nye and Esmeralda counties since 1901.

Who owns the LVRJ?

Sheldon Adelson ownership

When the paper was sold in 2015, it was initially unclear who the buyer was. The purchaser was a limited liability company, News + Media Capital Group LLC, and the only name listed on the documents was Michael Schroeder, a publisher of four small regional newspapers in Connecticut.[17] At a December 10 staff meeting informing the Review-Journal staff that the paper had been sold, Schroeder was introduced as the manager. He refused to say who the owners of News + Media were, saying that employees should "focus on [their] jobs...and don't worry about who [the owners] are."[18] Jason Taylor, the Review-Journal's publisher, said only that the ownership included "multiple owner/investors, that some are from Las Vegas, and that in face-to-face meetings he has been assured that the group will not meddle in the newspaper’s editorial content.”[17] There were widespread rumors that the primary buyer was Sheldon Adelson, and a week later three Review-Journal reporters confirmed that the purchase had been orchestrated by Adelson's son-in-law Patrick Dumont on Adelson's behalf.[19] A month before the new owner was revealed, three reporters at the newspaper received an assignment from corporate management: Spend two weeks monitoring the activity of three Clark County judges. One of the judges was District Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez, who was hearing a long-running wrongful termination lawsuit filed against Adelson and his company[20], a lawsuit alleging that Adelson's Macao casino, Sands Macao, was connected to the Chinese Triads.[21]

In January a set of editorial principles were drawn up and publicized to ensure the newspaper's independence and to deal with possible conflicts of interest involving Adelson's ownership. In February Craig Moon, a veteran of the Gannett organization, was announced as the new publisher and promptly withdrew those principles from publication. He also began to personally review, edit, and sometimes kill stories about an Adelson-promoted proposal for the future Las Vegas Raiders football stadium.[22] In the months since, reporters say that stories about Adelson, and particularly about an ongoing lawsuit involving his business dealings in Macau, have been heavily edited by top management.[23]

The new ownership triggered numerous departures. On December 23 the paper's editor Mike Hengel stepped down in a "voluntary buyout".[24] Many reporters and editors left the newspaper citing "curtailed editorial freedom, murky business dealings and unethical managers."[25] Longtime columnist John L. Smith resigned after he was told he could no longer write anything about Adelson, a frequent focus of his reporting up till then.[25] Within six months, all three of the reporters who broke the story of Adelson's ownership had left the paper.[25]

[Hortensis]

7. :) Good check. Just looked, though, and although Adelson

says he supports Trump's COVID leadership, I found nothing that would support this whackjob's attitudes. What COVID-related actions are reported contradict, including that he made a big donation of PPE to the battle.

I imagine he has the same issue as other RW business owners wanting to keep Republicans in power: support in ways that will somehow make them seem the better choice, refuse support that will kill off their golden-goose profit producers, i.e., employees and consumers.

[malchickiwick]

14. Thanks. I'd forgotten about Adelson. HUGE prick.

Unfortunately, the db who got this opinion piece in the BCR is even a more wacky whackjob!

[Hortensis]

6. Well, it is an opinion piece, not an article. Huge difference,

though of course the paper should refuse to publish conspiracist extremist trash like this. It may be their way of offering something to readers who are dissatisfied with the "one-sidedness" of the paper's more responsible news and analysis.

But this self-deranged flake is a retired Army captain?! What's happened on the right is exposing how shockingly dishonorable and unfit so many officers are. The military really needs to get much better at choosing for the good character and judgement they always insist they require.

[JHB]

9. He also appears to be a fairly regular contributor or columnist

[Hortensis]

11. Yes, hardly admirable. He apparently does the "police blotter"

for the Las Vegas Sun. But segregating this kind of trash in the opinion section and not allowing it on the journalism side is still holding a big line that Malchickiwick should be able to take some reassurance from.

[malchickiwick]

12. I agree it is opinion and not news. I'm just appalled that a small-town paper

would publish it. Some opinions do NOT deserve a platform. Thanks!!

[Hortensis]

18. Agree completely too.

[maxrandb]

8. Not speaking out against this stuff is how we end up with Donnie Short Fingers

I remember first hearing rush and thinking, what a dipshit.

You figure, besides, he's just preaching to the choir.

I'm too busy to care or get involved or write a letter.

So what happens? That shit doesn't get challenged.

Since it doesn't get challenged, maybe the 30% that believe that shit think they are 70 or 80%. Hell, it wouldn't even matter if 60% of the people in your area believe that... there's still 40% that don't and that 40% can't get their views and their concerns addressed

I'm a firm believer in pushing back, even when it's hard.

I spent 30 years in the Navy. A lot of folks assume that the military is a monolithic bunch of conservative wingnuts, but the truth is more nuanced than that.

As with conservative papers, conservative writers, conservative media and Hate Radio... their goal is to drown everyone else out. Their goal is to make it seem like your opinion is such a minority

I pushed back against Right wing idiocy when I heard it in the military. You can do so respectfully.

What I found were lots of Sailors who had the same political leanings that I did, but were afraid to state them.

I've come to realize that even if we just let the people in our communities know that this right wing shit is bullshit...there are folks just like me all around.

In elections decided on the margins, pushing back against right-wing lies can make a difference.

Push back hard. You might be surprised at how many people share your values.

If most local Hate Radio stations got pushback from their comminities, they might find that they need to change their ways.

Push back on right-wing media lies as much as you can.

You may feel busier than a cat covering its shit on a linoleum floor, but you may also be surprised at how many like minded individuals appreciate your opinions.

[Bev54]

10. Not just science

but do these idiots think that every other country in the world are willing to kill their citizens and destroy their economies to support a dem conspiracy to take over the US government. Too many wrinkles in that silly tinfoil hat they wear.

[cp]

13. You can reply calmly, with facts

Just saw this on Daily Kos about Sweden, who's letting 'er rip:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/5/22/1946944/-Sweden-is-a-coronavirus-disaster-and-conservatives-want-more-of-that-death?detail=emaildkre

I'd go with the theme "the virus doesn't care" as well as the efficacy of wearing a mask in reducing transmission. Most people do want to stay alive, if possible. Good luck! Please post your LTE.

[malchickiwick]

15. Thanks! The "calmly" part will be the hardest.

Thanks for bringing up Sweden. Too bad this kind of idiot is unmoved by truth.

[cp]

16. Yes, calm is challenging, but it will convince most.

Your LTE is for everyone who isn't a covidiot. The calmer you are, the more powerful your letter. For me, I'd have to sleep on it (at least one night and maybe a couple).

[malchickiwick]

21. Yes. Need to sleep on it for sure! Great advice!

Gotta collect my thoughts.

[ismnotwasm]

17. These stupid fuckers forget it's a global pandemic

Not an American one. Trump needed no help to look like a failing asshole.


I just want them to stay the hell away from my Mom. They want to kill people, do it among their own .


Unfortunately virus spread doesn’t care about what I want or don’t want.


My hospital is down to 4 covid patients. We are slowly lifting restrictions, patients can have one visitor per day, we are doing surgeries, we are constantly testing. I wear a mask all day. Patients wear a mask if they leave their rooms to ambulate.

I think at our peak, my four hospital system was at 140. On edit, I should look that number up, think it was higher—Now it’s 38.

It’s never been a designed scam directed toward Trump. That’s like flat earth thinking.

I don’t know how to hold them accountable.

Libertarians are no better, the shelter in place orders eat them up. They think businesses have the right to take what risks they choose, regardless of impact to the community.

[pamela]

19. He must think Trump is completely incompetent then.

If he believes what he says he must also believe that Trump has been completely bamboozled by the democrats and has been completely ineffective in combating the bamboozling. These people don't even realize that their defense of Trump almost makes him look worse than the truth.

I've stopped arguing with these folks or trying to educate them. I just listen to their bullshit theories and say, "Wow, he's a worse president than I thought if he can be scammed that easily and if he is so thoroughly impotent in dealing with the scam."

[Jim__]

20. Besides everything else, I'm curious as to where he gets his stats.

From the cited article:

This current pandemic is serious because worldwide, over 1 million folks have perished including 70,000 Americans.

From WHO:

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak situation View dashboard ?
5 105 881
Confirmed cases
Last update: 22 May 2020, 18:00 GMT-6
333 446
Confirmed deaths
Last update: 22 May 2020, 18:00 GMT-6
216
Countries, areas or territories with cases

He claims over 1 million worldwide. The WHO says 333,446.

[Chainfire]

22. So, what you do

Is, you and your friends, call the newspaper's advertisers and ask them if they share the same opinions. Let them know that you can't support a business that pays for publishing that kind of craziness.