Who is winning the war of opinion vs. truth [View all]

[TexasProgresive]

There have always been expressions of strong opinion on Democratic Underground since its beginning, but there were always champions who upheld the truth no matter how uncomfortable the facts are. This made DU much like the newspapers of my youth. The reporters attempted to be unbiased as possible when writing a story with the age old 5 "Ws" instisted upon by crusty editors:

• Who did that?
• What happened?
• Where did it take place?
• When did it take place?
• Why did that happen?

There was a place for editorializing on the eponymously named editorial page and opposite that page would be the OpEd page where outside voice could express their opinion in columns and letters to the editor. Now it seems that opinion rules the day and facts are left in the dust bin.

Sadly that seems to be the situation at DU with long time members who put real thought in their posts to give the rest of us real value leaving, leaving DU less real, less good, less factual, more unsubstantiated opinions and vileness.

I just read Will Pitt and Kentuck have left DU and I am sorry. At the same time I read this from a novel I am reading. It takes place in Dublin, Ireland pub shortly after the failed 1916 Easter Rising. Britain is coming down hard on the press to follow the government's line. One drunk journalist gives his wisdom out of the bottle:

"Journalism today is about the subordination of truth to myth. People don't want to read the truth. They're afraid it won't agree with their opinions. They want to read myths that conform with their prejudices." 1921 - Morgan Llwelyn 2000 pg 63

I'm approaching 12 years as a member of DU, actually longer, but I lost my original id and password when a hard drive failed.( always backup!!!!). I have seen a lot of changes in that time some good some not so good, but certain members keep it sane. There are fewer and fewer of those intrepid souls left. When DU has devolved into a weak imitation of the U.S. Congress I will sadly leave. Not yet, for I still hope that the "truth will out."