Taking on the Powerful

We all know that the Fourth Estate is a keystone of democracy. We need journalists because they “speak truth to power.”

NOT.

When they talk like that, journalists usually mean criticizing the president, government, and big corporations, writes Jonah Goldberg. But the fact is that it doesn’t cost you anything to criticize traditional villains. In fact, if you criticize the president, the publicity might make you a fortune.

In fact, journalists seldom speak truth to power unless there’s blood in the water. And that’s just where politicians and local bigwigs are the targets. There’s another problem, says Goldberg:

I’ve met innumerable writers and editors who are scared, even terrified, of one or more of these groups: gays, blacks, Latinos, Asians, Jews, feminists, evangelical Christians and the handicapped.

Yes. You would think twice before speaking truth to powerful gays or powerful blacks. (But be specially careful of riling up cat lovers, warns Jonah).

Of course there is a reason why you shouldn’t criticize gays, black, Latinos, etc. They are protected groups, and they are the mailed fist of the Democratic Party. (Is it really dangerous to criticize Christians? I hadn’t noticed.)

We know why it’s dangerous to criticize protected groups. Liberals like it that way. It serves their political interests. If you can’t criticize blacks then you can’t effectively campaign against affirmative action and quotas. If you can’t criticize gays then you can’t campaign effectively for the traditional family. Liberals like it that way.

For conservatives to make progress in the culture war it is going to be necessary to develop the courage to “speak truth to power,” in other words, speaking truth to the client groups of the liberals and the Democratic Party.

It’s an issue that was raised by the industrious mice in Beatrix Potter’s Tailor of Gloucester. Who will bell the cat?

The fact is that it is going to take a few suicide volunteers to turn the tide on this, people willing to risk their career, their reputation and everything. That is the real meaning of “speaking truth to power.” Because, as we all know, if you disagree with liberals on race you get called a racist. And if you disagree with liberals on gay rights then you get called a homophobe.

Most of us will do anything to avoid that.