Stand Up For The Strib

[Carla in Ca]

The Strib has been brave with it's opinions and editorials. I posted one myself a few weeks ago. But now they are being attacked. I hope something can be done to counter it. I subscribe to it online.
<http://www.buzzflash.com/alerts/05/06/ale05090.html>

The Minneapolis Star Tribune (which has kindly published a few pieces from LiberalOasis) offers an editorial page that, of all the nation’s major dailies, is arguably the most devoted to the truth and the least afraid of the Bush White House.

And it is under attack from the Right for just that reason.

Last week, the Strib not only ran an editorial defending Dick Durbin when Durbin lacked the courage to defend himself, it also ran a lengthy excerpt of Durbin’s speech so readers could examine his words in context and make up their own minds.

Since then, the right-wing Hugh Hewitt has launched a campaign encourage people to cancel their subscriptions to the Strib, in hopes of pressuring the paper to end its defense of real American values.

And Hewitt’s allies at the blog Powerline are trying to keep up the pressure by directly attacking the top editor.

These thuggish attempts to silence brave American voices must be countered.

The best way to do so is to show that speaking truth to power sells.

So if you live in Minnesota and don’t subscribe, now’s the time!

MORE...including links and an email address.

[katinmn]

1. Thank you! The Strib has been a leader in speaking the truth about

the Bush failings.

[question everything]

2. Hugh Hewitt a false prophet

When Hewitt was a columnist to a semi monthly glossy the Orange County Metro during the 90's, he routinely predicted the loss of Dianne Feinstein, and Barbra Boxer and Gray Davis (first run).

Some years back he visited Minnesota (obviously has some ties) and predicted the failure of the then proposed Light Rail - which has seen the number of riders far surpassing the predictions.

He also likes to call on others to boycott, as he tried back in July 2002:

from http://www.ocweekly.com/ink/02/45/news-swaim.php

Hughcifer’s Boycott

Writing in last week’s conservative Weekly Standard, Hewitt proposed boycotting Vermont. The reason? That state’s senior senator, Democrat Patrick Leahy, has blocked eight of George W. Bush’s 11 judicial confirmations.

(snip)

When he used his radio show last month to propose the Vermont boycott, he says "a few hundred people . . . dispatched notice of their decision to bypass Vermont to various hoteliers and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. So many wrote it seems that notice was taken, though abruptly dismissed."

So many? Chamber spokesperson Vicky Tebbetts notes that Vermont receives up to 8.5 million tourists each year; Hewitt’s few hundred dark minions hardly add up to an Army of the Righteous.

"We’re wondering how many of these people even had concrete plans to come to Vermont," says Tebbetts, who adds that "even if the e-mails multiplied by a hundred, it wouldn’t make much of a difference."

[Demrock6]

3. That man is a fool.

[Carla in Ca]

4. I couldn't agree more

As a person from OC, I recall Hewitt too well.
As for the Strib, my husband is from St. Paul so we indeed have a connection between the two.
And I also see today that the state budget is still being haggled over. We hope the Dems prevail. We respect Mn. as one of the best states in the country.

[LTR]

5. If these flag-waving 'guardians of freedom' are a little bit upset...

...by any belief that doesn't conform to their facist beliefs, and can't bear to think that some media outlets actually want to take full advantage of their First Amendment rights, then I suggest buying the St. Paul Pioneer Press. It should be conservative enough for Hewitt and his crowd (if indeed there is one).

Why are these wingnuts so gung-ho about installing democracy in Iraq, yet so adamant about getting rid of it here?

My solution - send Hewitt to Iraq. There, settled.