Tuesday, November 04, 2003

Fox News Contributor Disassociates Herself from Diego

As Bending Truth pointed out yesterday Diego's latest, apparently inexplicable steal was of a photograph of occasional Fox News contributor Wendy McElroy. It currently features prominently on his site.

Just this morning Ms McElroy sent me an email asking for my assistance in having her picture removed from this site, and I responded offering a few pointers. Of course no one who reads Bending Truth would have been under any impression that the fact that Ms McElroy's picture appears on riverSbend in any way meant that she condoned or endorsed the site. Hopefully we have also minimised the risk that anyone might accidentally stumble on the site and garner that impression.

Sometimes I wonder what goes on the head of Mr Diego Gastor. Not often, and not for long - it scares me - but sometimes. Does it ever occur to him that a person might not like to have their image used to apparently endorse his smearblog? Is he really so imbecilic that this notion never crosses his mind?

There's obviously a certain irony to Ms McElroy's complaint though one could forgive her for failing to appreciate it. "Diego"'s first fake blog, as reported by John Gorenfeld featured an "Iraqi woman" bemoaning the fact that Fox News was not yet available in her home land. The latest riverbendblogS site has a link to Fox News. "Diego" is obviously a huge fan of Fox News. And yet now a Fox News contributor has indicated her distaste at being associated with him. (Ms McElroy's Fox News Articles Archive)

Of course it would be disingenuous of me to suggest that just because some readers may associate Fox News with a right-wing pro-War agenda, that this is the voice of America's War Channel turning on Diego. Ms McElroy's opinions are her own and as a quick look at her site will confirm, do not conform to any stereotypical notions of the nature of Fox News.

Ms McElroy speaks only as an individual and when she writes:

I note that riverSbend is prominently using my photograph under an Iraqi flag with the clear implication that I am involved in their site...which is false.

she speaks only as an individual wronged by "Diego".

But beyond cheap headline value I do feel there is one good point to be made about Ms McElroy's association with Fox, and it's one that Diego ought to consider:

If his favourite Fair and Balanced TV news channel Fox News is able to give regular airtime to the author of a book called A Woman's Right To Pornography, indeed to the author of these sentiments from today's blog:

"The media continues its blackout on wounded American soldiers and on the ones who are not so "lucky""

then why does "Diego" have such a problem with another woman far away from Ms McElroy in Iraq expressing her opinions unassailed? If free speech is good enough for Fox News ought it not be good enough for "Diego"?

It is time to stop deluding yourself "Diego" that you are "fighting the good fight". You are an affront to American values, you are a petty sneak thief, you should be ashamed of yourself, and no one with any public profile from across the political spectrum is going to want anything to do with your low, debased chicanery. How long before that message sinks in?