Bloggers learn their manners from newspapers

Ever wonder where the intemperate, aggressive name calling comes from on the Internet? Could be newspaper people blogging from their offices.

Let’s face it; the Internet is filled with ad hominem attacks on people, often in the crudest terms. But here’s a perfectly good example that you don’t even have to turn on your computer to find. It’s right there on the opinion column of the Virginian Pilot (link to paid subscribers).

It’s penned by Gene Smith, an editorial writer for the Fayetteville Observer and here’s how he characterizes people who don’t agree with him on the illegal immigration issue:

Still, I’m nostalgic for a time, less than a decade behind us, when we could talk about such things without having civil discussion hijacked by chronically enraged people with heads full of bumper stickers and mouths filled with hateful slogans.

We don’t have to guess what Gene’s position is on illegal immigrants and what to do about them. He’s for something euphemistically called “comprehensive immigration reform” which is an effort by the Left to make all the illegal immigrants in this country citizens. We tried that once and were promised that if laws were passed to allow illegals to become legal citizens, the illegal immigration problem would be solved.

They lied.

So now well over half the country wants to approach the illegal immigrant problem by first stopping more illegal immigrants from entering the country and then working out a solution about those already here.

So now Gene is calling those people, the majority of the country “chronically enraged ... and hateful.” Gene, let me tell you that when you make an argument by insulting your audience, you’re not going to persuade anyone.

But back to intemperate attacks on people, the editors of the Virginian Pilot who reprinted Gene's venom apparently do not consider printing an attack on more than half the people in the country in the vilest terms a problem. So, where do the bloggers who spew venom on the Internet learn their manners? On the editorial pages of their newspapers. Because it’s fun to call your opponents names. Newspaper people learned that hundreds of years ago when they were the only ones allowed to do that. Today’s blogosphere is a mirror of the abuse that the newsboys and girls have been dishing out. Look in the mirror news people, because these people are you.

Update:  Instalance!  Thanks, Glenn