blogger interrupted

Lots of links to the Joy Atwood video from last week.  We are now over 11,000 views.  Some interesting reaction, particularly here.

Russo asks Atwood if she would like to meet Obama and ask him about these things. She says no; she already knows enough about him. I think that was the most appalling part of either video. What she was saying in effect was that what she had heard had more credibility than any thing she might find out for herself. I’ve run into that attitude before. It seems to me to reflect an unhealthy lack of self-confidence, lack of curiosity, and, worst of all, submission to recognized authority. She seemed uncomfortable with the very idea of being in a position where she might have to rely on her own judgment instead of accepting “the truth” as given to her by her betters. She had been told what the truth about Obama was and quite literally didn’t want to be confused by facts. Of course this kind of willing conformity to hierarchy is the hallmark of conservative psychology.

A commenter wonders if it was appropriate to publish Joy’s email address.

She didn’t seek or ask to be on television — she was just selling at a farmer’s market. Any further public involvement came from you videoing her, and publishing the videos here on your blog and on Youtube.

I’m not defending her position — I’m just really uncomfortable in making a private email public.

Well, guess what.  I’m really uncomfortable having my president picked based on lies, smears, bigoted race-baiting and ignorance.  Such hatemongers, like Joy, thrive in an environment where they get to spread their lies without fear of being exposed as liars.  That’s why she talked to Channel 19.  She, like most Americans, is used to media being a one way conversation, in which you can spout your crap with complete certainty that it won’t come back at you, especially when the reporter, Myrt Price of Channel 19 WOIO, wouldn’t even identify her in his story.

Not anymore.  So here’s Joy’s email again, jatwood@neo.rr.com, and I encourage my readers to write to Joy and continue to correct her lies.  Should Joy decide to educate herself, and stop lying, smearing, and race-baiting, she knows how to do that.  I just showed her how, at the rate of 11,000 and counting.

UPDATE:  Liz responds, and I comment.  Relevant part of my comment.

i do agree, however, that it is problematic to publish recipients’ email addresses. eric and i actually discussed this. however, i will continue to do so, and i think so will eric, for this reason.

the only way such email smearing can be stopped is if it becomes unacceptable, both on the part of the sender, and the recipient. if a potential recipient of such smears worries that their email address may appear on a blog at some point, then this practice will stop in its tracks. 

No quarter.  None.