Sweet Release

Triggers
Manning supporters say the leaks exposed war crimes and triggered pro-democracy uprisings in the Middle East. (Boston Herald.com, 12/16/2011)


The Lady Gaga Fan Club is pushing hard this novel defense. Traitor Bradley Manning spurred the Arab Spring! Really?


Really
Many stories The Post writes can affect a person’s reputation. Any reporter doing a story that questions a person’s reputation in a direct and public way, such as accusing Mitt Romney of using a KKK slogan, should stop and consider whether, first of all, does that make sense, knowing what you know about the person. If it seems counterintuitive, then you should be extremely sure of your facts, every fact, and that you have appropriate response from the party affected.


I mean, really, Mitt Romney may be many things, but has anyone, anywhere, accused him of being a KKK sympathizer, racist, or anything similar? I don’t think so. (Patrick B. Pexton, Washington Post, 12/16/2011)


Detailed description of how the Romney - KKK quote story evolved with an honest apology. The last comment - that reporters failed to consider what they know about Romney as a person - is interesting. It can be applied equally to any number of Liberal epithets about any number of Republicans. To wit: Bush lied. Really? Reporters know that Bush was a religious man. Do they think he knowingly lied. The examples are endless: Bush is Hitler, Republicans are racists, Republicans want children to starve, Republicans want to destroy the planet, etc. It's a great standard to apply. Before you vilify someone, consider what you know about that person or persons. Would that Liberals and their friends in the press hold to it more often.