News-Record.com

So when are you going to team up with a conservative blogger and have a get-together for the rest of us?

Uh, this one's for everyone, of whatever political affiliation (or none at all). Sue became a "co-sponsor" because she has a history of helping people learn how to do stuff online (Triad Internet Users Group, for example) and also because she offered to spring for the refreshments.

C'mon out.

Actually, if you'll spring for the refreshments, you can co-sponsor one with us next month. Deal?

When you advertise that a liberal N&R staffer and a liberal blog owner are sponsoring a get-together you automatically set the tone for the event. About the same as if you advertised that the Klan was sponsoring a get-together but that people of all colors were welcome. Riiiight...
You could have advertised the get-together without mentioning that the co-host was another liberal blogger if you wanted diverse and varied attendees.

I didn't mention the political orientation of Sue, myself or anyone else, and -- funny thing -- the 15 or so who showed up didn't discuss politics.

If you want to shut yourself out, jaycee, that's perfectly fine. But don't pretend that anything we did or failed to do caused you not to come. That was your choice.

"That was your choice."

Personal Responsibility, eh? Interesting concept.

On the contrary, Lex, what you did was designed to keep people like me away. You did it on purpose, intentionally. You advertised "Come on out to a liberal blogger get-together" knowing full well what kind of attendees you were catering to and what kind you'd get. When you prominently posted that a well-known liberal blogger was cohosting with you (another a well-known liberal blogger) how could you have been more transparent about the tone of the event?
Your invitation was no more sincere than an invitation to Nelson Johnson by the Klan for one of their get-togethers.

(Sorry, I posted above before I finished)

Lex, (and John R. if you're reading this) when the News & Record does things such as publicly hosting liberal events, hosted by liberals and targeted towards liberals, in their own buildings, how can the readers have faith in the fairness and impartiality of the newspaper? You seem to cater to the left and sneer at the right.
The N&R claims it isn't liberally biased. This does not support that claim.

Well, you got me there, jaycee. Wow. My Secret Plot to Organize a Liberal Online Cabal has been exposed.

In a bit, I'm going to post on last night's get-together, with links to all the bloggers who came (some who came don't blog). Tell you what: Ask *them* what transpired.

The event was open to the general public -- thus, to anyone. ANYONE. I said Sue "co-sponsored" it because she volunteered to spring for snacks and drinks. If you want to do the same for the July meeting (I think she spent around $50, and we had stuff left over), you can be co-sponsor for that meeting.

When you insist that an event open to the public for discussion of nonpolitical subjects is in fact a trap by liberals to ambush conservatives, you don't do your credibility a lot of good.

Wrong again, Lex.
First, you did NOT advertise this even as "an event open to the public for discussion of nonpolitical subjects". You said that you (liberal blogger) and Sue (liberal blogger) were co-hosting an event, and it would be attended by "online activists." Hardly a nonpolitical, non-partisan arena, eh?
When two liberals get together to host an event aimed at a mostly liberal audience (and most of the N&R bloggers are liberal) then by default it's a liberal event.
If two Klansmen announced a get-together and invited anyone, any color, any race, would you believe it was a non-racial event?
Nope, and neither would I.
Thanks for the offer, but if I ever choose to host an event it will not be in conjunction with a liberal N&R staffer, I can assure you.

[[First, you did NOT advertise this even as "an event open to the public for discussion of nonpolitical subjects". You said that you (liberal blogger) and Sue (liberal blogger) were co-hosting an event, and it would be attended by "online activists." Hardly a nonpolitical, non-partisan arena, eh?"]]

I didn't use that exact phrase, no, but I did make it clear that the event was open to anyone, and I said we'd be talking about citizen journalism in general and possible reporting partnerships between the N&R and local folks in particular. All the Internets may look for themselves; my posts announcing the event are here, here and here. I said in the last one that some "bloggers and/or online activists" had told me they'd be coming, but how you derive "partisan liberals" from that I'm not quite sure. (Are all online activists liberal? Boy, will Hugh Hewitt be surprised to find that out.) Seriously, your logic needs some work. I suggest you review this.

[[ When two liberals get together to host an event aimed at a mostly liberal audience (and most of the N&R bloggers are liberal) then by default it's a liberal event.]] See above re your tenuous grasp of logic. Moreover, even if most N&R bloggers were liberal, what does that have to do with the price of tea in China? I was the only N&R blogger there, or planning to be. Court reporter Eric Collins, who does not blog, was the only other N&R staffer to attend. And the subject matter was not inherently conservative OR liberal.

I say again, jaycee: If you don't want to come to an event like this, no one is going to make you.

But take responsibility for your personal choice. You don't get to come on my blog and conjure up some fantasmagorical ambush of conservatives by liberals to blame for your decision not to participate. And you sure don't get to come on my blog and lie about what I have said and what I have done.

Lex, you act as though I had some obligation to come to your little soiree. I may have chosen not to attend for any number of reasons, your personal liberalism notwithstanding.

You wrote:
"You don't get to come on my blog and conjure up some fantasmagorical ambush of conservatives by liberals to blame for your decision not to participate. And you sure don't get to come on my blog and lie about what I have said and what I have done."

I've done neither. You promoted an event that was co-hosted by two liberal bloggers, promised "online activists" (and don't tell me you're so naive you don't understand the connotation in today's world of the term 'activist') and sponsored by a liberal newspaper on their home turf. No fantasizing there, just the facts, ma'am. And yet you still fail to understand why people view you and your newspaper as liberal?
I never said it had anything to do with "ambushing" conservatives or any other negative activities. Merely that it was put on by liberals for the liberal audience and staged at a liberal newspaper office.
(My reference to N&R bloggers being mostly liberal meant blog contributors, not staffers.)

[[(and don't tell me you're so naive you don't understand the connotation in today's world of the term 'activist')]]

That's your connotation, not mine.

[[Lex, you act as though I had some obligation to come to your little soiree.]]

No, I act as if you're blaming me and/or the N&R and/or Sue Polinsky for forcing you into a decision you made freely and without duress. Because that's exactly what you're implying.

[I've done neither.] The posts speak for themselves.

[(My reference to N&R bloggers being mostly liberal meant blog contributors, not staffers.]

You mean commenters? I don't know what the political breakdown is among our frequent commenters, nor do I care. I do know that it's certainly not hard to find conservative commenters, so what's your point?

OK, Lex, I'm tired of jerking your chain for now.
Sounds like you guys had a good time last night, hopefully you got some good ideas and feedback from the gathering.

Yup, and after we figured out how we were going to steal elections from Republicans nationwide and sacrificed babies to Satan, we enjoyed fresh veggies, onion dip and bottled water.

Jaycee, I speak for the room here:

You are certifiably [expletive] nuts.

Take your medicine, dude. No, not the Viagra- the stuff that makes you act normal.

(Comment edited by blog owner for inappropriate language.)

Of that I have no doubt.
Did Rep. Jefferson send any of that bribe money down to help defray expenses?

greendog, I doubt you have the authority to speak for the "room" unless you're Lex in drag. This is his room, not yours.

Lex is a good host.

but I speak for the room.

Lex is, indeed a good host.
And you do not speak for the room. I'm part of the room, you don't speak for me, now do you?
Please keep your posts civil and refrain from using profanity in this room. Others don't, why do you feel the need to do it?
And why do you question my sanity about this issue? A liberal N&R blog owner and another liberal blog owner host an event at a liberal newspaper office...don't you see a tinge of liberal bent there? If the Klan and the Nazis hosted an event at a white separatist training camp, would you not see a bit of right wing extremism there? It matters not that each of them invite "the public"; the public can plainly see what kind of atmosphere there will likely be.

Greendog, thanks for the support. I edited the, um, inappropriate language in your first comment -- language like that tends to drive people away, and it also pulls in some really ugly search-engine traffic. :-) So, please, let's keep it G-rated (or PG at worst), OK? Thanks.

jaycee, you've made your point, but what you perceived was neither my intent nor the fact. Repeating your point won't change that. Can we move on?

Re Jefferson: Given that the only facts about his case still in dispute appear to be whether or not he actually did what he appears to have been bribed to do, I guess the only matters of law left to decide are: Was he corrupt? Or was he very corrupt?

And, sadly, none of the money made its way here. Otherwise, I'd have had the refreshments catered and Sue wouldn't have had to do any heavy lifting.

Seriously, everyone, let's move on. Thanks.

[Expletive] works pretty well.

Lex, you may be able to play innocent and naive and claim that a liberal N&R blogger and another liberal blog owner hosting a party at a liberal enclave has no intentional slant of liberalism in it, but I ain't one of 'em that'll be taken in. You know full well the effect of your liberally slanted "wordsmithing" in the subtle intent and slant of the written word in articles, posts, etc. You do it well, and that "Who, me?" stuff just doesn't cut it.
Have a good weekend.

jaycee, are you brain-damaged? IT WAS A NONPOLITICAL EVENT.

Good God. Project much?

We're done here.