FORMER US SENATOR Rick Santorum is now a journalist (isn't everyone these days?). His first opinion column for the Philadelphia Inquirer is in today's paper.He writes, "I readily admit that most of the readers of The Inquirer may not be big fans of conservative ideas. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't have the opportunity to consider them. It's an unfortunate fact that over the last decades, the institutional left - Hollywood, the mainstream media and academia - have not only become intolerant of dissent from their own orthodoxies, but also often attack anyone who espouses an opposing view."
He also says that over the years, the Inquirer has labeled him as disingenuous, snake oil peddler, smug, arrogant, chicken-livered, intolerant and fatalistic.
Which begs the question: Why did they ultimately give him a column? Have they realized that their paper leaned left for too long? Was it the new ownership, lead by longtime conservative powerbroker Brian Tierney? Is this a stunt to draw controversy? Are they appealing to conservative readers?
Question everything. Really. Everyone has an agenda.
By the way, Santorum was recently on campus where he told Temple students, "The world is changing, but you don't see it because you don't feel it here, you don't believe it's real. The enemy gets up everyday thinking about you, despising you."
5 comments:
The Inquirer has faced a lot of criticism for the new Santorum column and the Inquirer professes they are just trying the give everyone a voice, they mentioned another new guest columnist (I think he's a liberal guy, I can't remember his name)and maybe they are trying to present both sides of politics. Of course they know some people are going to be interested in what Santorum writes (even if they love or hate him) and that could account to higher profits, so of course the Inquirer has an agenda to make money.
At first I was stunned that the Inquirer picked up Santorum. Then I stopped to think and said well maybe it is good to show both sides of the argument. But I also think the Inquirer may be making up for lost time. Maybe they are trying to pick up more conservative readers and make up profits with the drastic change in their editorial column.
But whatever, we voted his ass out of office last year!
It seems like political ideology is the main factor in judging people these days. I think it's unfair that people are criticizing the Inquirer for giving Santorum a column just because he's conservative. I think people should view issues with an open mind and the notion that ones' mind can be changed, no matter how how stubborn or firm you think you may be in your beliefs. I saw Santorum speak at the sac. I met him afterward and even though I don't entirely agree with all of this politics, he seemed like a very articulate, nice guy who did change my mind a bit about American sentiment; even though the media makes him out to be a closed-minded, hate monger.
I also saw Santorum speak, and he practically made me sick. (I also protested him visiting before the speech!) But anyway, he has every right to have a column, I agree that people should have open minds and listen to both sides. The only thing Santorum does for me though, is make me want to stand by my liberal beleifs even more. I don't think readers will take to him very well. Philadelphia is liberal.
I live in Philly and I'm not a liberal. I don't want liberal beliefs jammed down my throat. I want fair and balanced Journalism which is unbiased. I'm a moderate democrate and I don't like Santorum.In case you wondered.
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