The following video is a response by C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb to the opprobrious e-mail attacks C-SPAN has been receiving from members of conservative talk show host Michael Savage's fans, know as "The Savage Nation." The story goes like this: Mr. Savage won a Free Speech award from 'Talkers Magazine.' Savage did not pick up the award in person, instead, he sent a speech on DVD. Apparently, C-SPAN cameras were at the conference and aired parts of it, BUT not the taped Savage speech. Savage was offended and reacted by selling the DVD on his website with this heading: "See the Speech that C-Span Banned!" and "See the Speech Too Hot for Left-Wing C-Span!" He also posted a list of C-SPAN phone numbers and e-mail addresses, including that of Mr. Lamb. Check out Savage's website here
Tons of people used the contact information to insult Lamb and C-SPAN, and apparently not one to back away from a smearing, Lamb has brilliantly used the e-mails to fight back. And what a statement he makes as you will see in the video.
Which leads me to my point: What is happening to the polite, witty, and confident conservative movement? The conservative movement of Edmund Burke, Lord Acton, Russell Kirk, Ronald Reagan, William F. Buckley, et al.? I do not necessarily mean it is eroding doctrinally, but its form--which I believe is tremendously important--seems to be shifting from a well-informed eloquence to an unprincipled rage.
Now, I have no idea what Mr. Lamb's political platform is, and maybe some of the e-mailers are correct about C-SPAN's hidden agenda, however there is no excuse for the disgusting e-mails that he is receiving. As far as I am concerned, whatever his motivations, Mr. Lamb and C-SPAN have outclassed Mr. Savage and "The Savage Nation." In fact, Lamb and Co. have made them look like absolute baffoons. Hopefully, Mr. Savage and "The Savage Nation" have learned that unprincipled vitriol cannot replace the logic, and oratorical flair of a solid conservative argument.
One caveat: I am not saying that ALL of Mr. Savage's listeners are rude individuals with bad grammar, but I do think it is bad for all conservatives (and particularly Mr. Savage) when this kind of incident occurs because it contributes to the liberal image of conservatives as uneducated hillbillies who should be ignored.
Jason,
ReplyDeleteYou make some great points; I certainly follow you. Cheap talking points and catchy slogans seem to be the flavor of the day in the political arena. Perhaps it could all be traced back to the nation's devaluation of philosophy and serious inquiry, especially within the public school system.
I'm reminded of a debate that I watched on YouTube between Alan Keyes and Barack Obama. Keyes is obviously grounded in logic and the Classics and, in my opinion, he won the debate hands down. The typically smooth Obama seemed flustered by Keyes' searing logic. Rhetoric and platitudes can only get you so far when you're debating someone like Keyes. So it was obvious that they were on completely different pages, in terms of intellectual traditions. Most schools, probably since the Progressive era, have placed positivism over and above philosophy and the study of metaphysics. A consequence of this has been, to put it bluntly, a dumbing down of the public.
The Right is not immune to this syndrome either. Ann Coulter, while right most of the time, is no Bill Buckley.
I like this guy. To me conservativism isn't the aristocratic movement that Jason is painting, but a grass roots,average joe-sixpack movement. I am talking about guys you talk politics with at your local bar, firemen, policeman and next door neighbors. Bill Buckley is great, but I don't think he represents or can really connect with the mojarity of Republicans. I don't ride sail boats but I watch NASCAR!!!
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