Glenn Greenwald defends John Tyner against the attempt by The Nation to smear him for his protest against the TSA’s porno scanners and groping methods.
What is it with some people that they cannot form a united front with others on civil liberties issues unless the people protesting as well as who are being protested against fit with their broader agenda?
I myself do not care one whit if the protests against methods of the TSA are being fuelled and funded by right-wing ideologues and are meant to embarrass Obama. What has that got to do with whether the methods being used are good or not?
The weird rush by some “progressives” to defend anything at all that is done by the Obama administration, and to smear critics of it, is really disturbing. Yes, the right is completely hypocritical to be discovering its concern for civil liberties only since a Democrat has been in the White Hose. But as you rightly point out, so what? What’s wrong is wrong, no matter who’s doing it and no matter who is objecting to it.
If The Nation does not apologize for this deplorable hit piece I will not be renewing my subscription.
The Obama administration’s smears especially on this case is really gettng out of hand. His control freakery tactics must stem from Clinton’s years and the fear of the right and their organised campaign to win back the middle ground of American opinion (which they already have in my opinion. The left wing press in the US are extremely versed in smear tactics now and we mustn’t let this course continue unchallenged.
Just my two cens worth!
Alf,
This kind of smear tactic has long been mastered by the right wing, as Glenn Greenwald’s piece points out.Fox News practices it all the time. It should be opposed wherever it comes from.