James O'Keefe (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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James O'Keefe, the independent filmmaker, known for his investigation of the corrupt community group ACORN, was arrested, with three others, for entering federal property under false pretenses and for interfering with the phones.
Now, the Left is trying to connect dots that barely exist. In particular, they are digging up O'Keefe connections while he attended Rutgers University in New Jersey.
O'Keefe was the founder of The Centurion, an independent publication. The group received support from the Collegiate Network. O'Keefe graduated, and therefore, left his position with the Centurion, in 2006.
But Media Matters (MM) has decided to tie together the Collegiate Network with O'Keefe current arrest with the blatantly false headline: "The Far-Right Funding Behind The Alleged Phone Buggers' Collegiate Network." Besides being grammatically incorrect and nonsensical, the facts are wrong.
The article itself does not even claim there is a connection between O'Keefe investigations and the Collegiate Network. Instead, MM "exposes" basic facts that can be found by anyone who can use Google. The headline is dangerous and libelous. All the while, MM actually pretends that it gives honest critiques of the newsmedia.
MM is attempting to play "Six Degrees of Separation." If one follows the logic: James O'Keefe, who graduated from Rutgers three and a half years ago, ran a newspaper; that newspaper is supported by the Collegiate Network; James O'Keefe was arrested this week; THEREFORE... the Collegiate Network is supporting him in doing something that he got arrested for.
Here are some stronger connections that Media Matters has refused to make:
The "Safe Schools Czar," Kevin Jennings, founded the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and ran it from 1995 to 2008. In that time, at a GLSEN sponsored event, a group put a pamphlet out at a seminar that included sex tips and pornographic images, and made the pamphlet available to underage students. GLSEN also put on what was known as the "fistgate" conference at Tufts University where sex lessons were given to children as young as 12. Jennings was the keynote speaker at the event.
But of course, MM gives Jennings a free pass, since he wasn't "directly involved" in the "fistgate" seminar and was critical of it.
Jennings also praised a member of the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), a group that advocates for older men to have sex with young boys. MM's take? Jennings praised The NAMBLA member for other reasons, so that's totally OK! If only Trent Lott was given such deference.
Ironically, MM's opening sentence from the latter excuse begins: "The conservative smear machine, still attempting to damage progressives by drawing shady guilt-by-association connections..."
Time for Media Matters to call themselves out for doing the same with an even more tenuous connection with O'Keefe and the Collegiate Network.
Note: In the interest of full disclosure, I was also an editor for a Collegiate Network paper and am close with the staff. However, this in now way should be construed as the opinion of the organization: these ideas are all my own.
UPDATE 01-29-10: Article updated with link verifying that GLSEN sponsored event where a sex-tips pamphlet was handed out.
Comments
I agree, the attempts to connect the dots looks like the work of a Republican, a birther maybe?
I can't believe you are standing up for a terrorist. He needs to be charged under terrorist laws. Only terrorists try to breach security to tap the phone systems of US Senators.
So let me see if I can follow your level of brilliance. MM are hypocrites because they report on a criminal's activity while giving a "free pass" to a gay man? Is that your line of reasoning? So leave this poor kid alone but bring down the gay! What law school do you attend?
It seems the previous comments to your column are the work of Obama Kool aide drinkers. Media Matters is an arm of the left wing and supports Acorns voter fraud and wants to make James O'Keefe the poster boy on why going after the left-wing in America is dangerous to your health and freedom. The main stream media never covered James O'Keefe past investigations into Acorn but curiously they now care about his arrest. If James O'Keefe is a terrorist than Obama should be impeached for being the Manchurian candidate who isn't an American citizen. Kevin Jennings is the typical nominee that Obama picks for his marxist agenda. Jennings is a perverted moran.
"perverted moron"
Joe, you wouldnt happen to be defending the Collegiate Network because you started a right-wing campus publication in-or-about 2006 with funds primarily from said Collegiate Network, would you? Oh the missing links!
I didn't see your disclosure previously. Apologies!
How is it that the right can always be so wrong?
You are forgetting one thing that Acorn was found innocent on all charges ...
So, maybe there is something horrifically wrong with the sort of ideological impetus that seeks sensationalism over the facts.
And, yes who funds your activities is significant!
My friend, in your attacks on Jennings, you inaccurately phrased several things. I hope it wasn't your intent to deceive. Jennings did not defend Harry Hay's awful support of NAMBLA. He voiced support for Hay's commitment to the early struggle for lgbt equality -something newspapers also did at the time of Hay's death. GLSEN did not put out any pamphlets speaking of what you suggested. That has been confirmed in several places - this site won't allow me the provide thelink.
Also, Jennings had nothing to do with the supposed "Fistgate" incident. An employee at the Massachusetts Dept. of Education was fired over the incident but successfully sued to get her job back.
Jersey Joe....your name says it all. Jersey is not known for the brightest bulbs. But your intelligence or lack thereof aside:
1. Where is the proof that you have of voter fraud via ACORN? Is it more compelling than the lack of proof I have of voter fraud that allowed George W. to be selected into office by the SCOTUS?
2. And FOX is the arm of the left or the right? Or right....they are neither. They are just fair and balanced news network.
3. James O'Keefe is the poster boy for the right wing's eagerness to embrace ignorance and the main stream media loves them an idiot and a buffoon. It makes for great TV. See Beck, O'reilly and Hannity for proof of that.
4. You say Obama is the Manchurian Candidate and has a marxist agenda. Jersey Joe? What is a Manchurian Candidate and a Marxist? I can guarantee you had never even heard of either of these before FOX told you so and Wikipedia explained it to you. What is your educational background Joe? Or is college too elitist for y
I just went over to this "Media Matters" you speak of and I can't for the life of me find the article you claim is there. I'm sure there must be some mistake on my part, because those who support and defent the conservative agenda are always completely honest and upstanding.
Of course, if you don't recognize this as sarcasm, you are likely part of the problem.
With a handle like Whoseafraidofthegay I can only imagine the rock that you crawl out from under each day. You are most likely an unemployed liberal drug addict with an inclination for small boys. Get a life you loser.
nice to see how you throw out hyperbole and insults, joe. But will not address the facts when they are presented to you regarding jennings. typical.
To address accuracy and facts concerns: (@be for real, mostly, though others also addressed it)
I provided the Media Matters links explaining their justification for Jennings' actions and position in relation to incidents noted. MM is even acknowledging the same facts. It is Media Matters' spin that I am discussing and criticizing, not Jennings' actions. (That is another article for another day).
The point is that Jennings's intimate connection to an organization, which he founded and ran during these incidents, is undoubtedly a stronger connection than the connection Media Matters draws between O'Keefe's arrest this week to an organization that had a tie to another organization that he left three and a half years ago.
joe, you are tapdancing rather badly. In your attack on Media Matters, you make inaccurate charges against Jennings. Even if you are providing the links, you are still making false charges.
@be for real:
There is nothing inaccurate in my report:
- Jennings founded and ran GLSEN from 1995-2008.
- A pamphlet was made available at the table of a high school event. See www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2005/05/19/explicit_pamphlets_displayed_at_school/ (link will be added into article).
- GLSEN did sponsor the "fistgate" meeting.
- Jennings did speak at the event as the keynote.
- Jennings did praise a member of NAMBLA.
If you have issues with these facts, please take them up with Media Matters and the Boston Globe.
I normally do not respond to comments, but when you make accusations that something is untrue, I thought it was only right to clarify it.
Good work Joe! Way to keep those MM liars honest! Go Joe Go!
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