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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Consequences of Hate Speech: Jail For Some, Ad Revenue for MSM

A 20-year-old Wilson man who hurled racial epithets during a borough carnival, touching off a fight that ended with three people being stabbed, has been ordered to spend up to a year in prison.

In the meantime, this Morning Call Reader Forum snark about yet another Allentown shooting, has been untouched since December 3. "Save the taxpayers' money and kill all involved. Case closed!!"

As Morning Call columnist and blogger extraordinaire Bill White observes, "The tremendous traffic on our Web site is a selling point for advertisers and future subscribers. And the comments, warts and all, attract a lot of those clicks."

Hate speech gets some folks jail time. But for others, it brings in the bucks.

20 comments:

J. SPIKE ROGAN said...

Who are the MCall's advertisers over this "Hate-Mart"?

Also the dadest part of that pic. They have a young child involved in the hate.

J. SPIKE ROGAN said...

Saddest part as well.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I have no problems w/ nutcases who want to preach messages of hate on streetcorners or signes or emails. I do have a problem with a MSM that profits from these people. As Bill White's remark indicates, their motive is at least partially pecuniary. I think that's sad, too.

Anonymous said...

In the 1930's "anti-hate" groups were attacking the 'war-mongers' who wanted to put down the rise of Axis. How many people died in China and Europe before 1939, because of these 'anti-hate' groups?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Anon 7:45,

I've got you. And Free Speech will probably nail me when he reads this, too.

I have no problem with carrying signs, wearing those cute little swastikas, or driving around in grand wizard robes. I don't have a problem with extremes. I'm pretty extreme myself.

But I do have a problem with speech that actually advocates killing other people. Even Free Speech has conceded that is not protected by the First Amendment.

Isn't it irresponsible for the MSM to allow statements like these to stand? Does the quest for the Almighty Dollar justify this?

J. SPIKE ROGAN said...

Ahh yes envocking WWII to make apoint. Some led us into Iraq doing that.

Find a better example.

Anonymous said...

This is on the MCall post right now.
TOYOTA WITH A LOT OF EMBLEMS??????

PROBABLY A TERCEL WITH RIMS, TINTED WINDOWS WITH A STICKER THAT SAYS R.I.P. JUAN OR JOHNNY AND MUFFLER THAT SOUNDS LIKE A WEED WACKER OR A WET FART!!!!

OH YA AND THERE WILL MOST CERTAINLY BE A RED/WHITE AND BLUE FLAG HANGING FROM THE MIRROR (ONE STAR OF COURSE).
CAUSE YA KNOW YA GOTTA BE PROUD OF THAT BS CULTURE!!

ANIMALS!!!!!!

AND YOU HAVE THE BALLS TO HAVE A PARADE!!!

SOUNDS LIKE A BUNCH OF PORK CHOPS TO ME!!

I AM SO SICK OF THESE SALSA COCKROACH MOTHER F-ERS THAT HAVE TURNED THIS CITY INTO A CRIME FILLED HISPANIC CROTCH!!!!!!!!!!

Bernie O'Hare said...

I hope the MC is happy w/ all the ad revenue this generates. It knows damn well that any crime story is going to result in this kind of garbage. The comment was posted 2 hours ago and is still up. Who knows, it may be there all day. What's really sad is that the family of one of the victims is reading these racist remarks.

Jake said...

The bottom line is that the more clicks, the higher the price for advertising space based on traffic. That is why you don't see billboards on country roads. I had an associate who worked for a paper in this region and the mantra was we fill the space between advertising with stories, the reason for papers is to sell advertising thus make money and profits. I never got the impression that the regional papers focus was Community Based. It appears to be stuck in the Spin Cycle, where reading between the lines is as important as reading the lines. I believe the fuse is too long in nipping the bud Hate Speech . Since the victims of it are not the majority, people wink and nod at it and it appears that Silence is Complicity.

Anonymous said...

Hate speech doesn't get anyone jail time in the United States, you commie bastard.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Bill White the Nazi (as opposed to the real Bill White),

Looks like it does. Hate speech that advocates violence is not protected. A nice little nazi like you should already know that. Try reading the post. There's not too many big words.

Goosestep a little less and read a little more. And get therapy, too.

Blah Society said...

Would the real Bill White please stand-up...

Bernie O'Hare said...

AJ,

This other dude really is named Bill White. I checked it out. He does cute little things like posting personal info about news reporters all over some Nazi site. He threatened to do that to Morning Call Bill, too. Oh yeah, I think he has something against Jews. I better not tell him we Irish are one of the lost tribes of Israel. And my family is from northwestern Ireland. We look nothing like the typical Irishman. We're dark and burly. For that reason, many call us black Irishman, but we like being called black.

Blah Society said...

Bill White's more-evil twin, I suppose.

Not too long ago I checked his blog and a Blogger message loaded explaining it was in violation of their terms (or something). It's up again - I'm not impressed.

Bernie O'Hare said...

gb,

Looks like the MC finally had the sense to close down the racist and insensitve remarks being made on its reader forum. Good for them.

Anonymous said...

you're from the northwest? shit, please don't tell me you're from sligo...we might be related. that would mean i've been gthrowing family off the courthouse roof.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Anon 8:51, Sligo it is, Chilly in here, eh?

Anonymous said...

it is. and forgive me for not chatting as i'm passing out from blood loss. just sterilized myself. with a spoon. must stop the dna from spreading...

Angie Villa said...

Bernie, are you going to post anything about the FCC now allowing media consolidation? Starting this Tues. newspapers like The Morning Call will be able to buy local radio stations and tv stations. Congress, the Senate, and the public have spoken out against this but the FCC is not listening. I heard about it on Bill Moyer's Journal.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Dottie, I actually had an op-ed published on this issue a few years ago, and it was stopoped then. I'm ashamed to say I did not know it was being pursued again and will look into it. I know that the DC Circuit Court of Appeals stopped the FCC dead in its tracks last time around.