I am very proud of the Mountain View Voice for standing strong with the Boston Globe. We need the press more than ever as our president attempts to strip away the freedoms that we, as Americans, have taken for granted. Calling the press the enemy of the people is incomprehensible. He is the one conducting a witch hunt. Remember. We have a chance to make change at the polls in November. The operative word is VOTE!

Wow. I guess you haven’t noticed the liberal bias in the media? And that the “free” press only produces news that suits the left and/or mega corporations? And that our news is being actively censored by Google, Apple, You Tube (also Google) and Twitter as they decide what is and what is not fake news, then blocks and removes posts and podcasts accordingly. Don’t be gullible. I’m not a Trump supporter but the media is out of control and is now nothing more than a propaganda machine.

They might not always say it the way we want it said, but there is nothing more American the a Free Press!
If you fight against the free press, you're fighting against America and Americans.

Criticize them, hold them to task, but don't cry and accuse them all of being corrupt just because they dig up something bad on "Your guy".

The reason why "fake news" has traction is because there is so much of it and people see it unfold on a regular basis, namely the reporting of negative news about President Trump and his administration that must be corrected or retracted by so-called journalists.

"Fake news' also applies to sensational, tabloid-like "news" and the proliferation of speculative and anonymous-sourced stories whose only purpose is to smear and de-legitimize our President and conservatism and are not worth the time it takes to read it -- except for those that hate President Trump and delight in the bashing of him.

"Fake news" is buffeted by the absence of what should be headline news about the positive accomplishments and progress under President Trump's tenure. Often his poll ratings are at or above former President Obama's, even though the negative press coverage of President Trump is around 90%. It doesn't take much to figure out that his approval ratings are actually higher than that of the sampling, or would be higher if not for the press "protecting our democracy."

Furthermore "fake news" is all the absurd, positive-spin stories around issues that the majority of Americans are against, such as open borders, unlimited refugees, not requiring IDs for voting, mafioso power of teachers' unions, etc. So conservatives absolutely do see the press as ruining our democracy, or at least contributing very much to its demise.

Too many journalists are a product of their liberal upbringing and socio-idealogical bubble groupthink, so their work is neither neutral nor balanced. There is always a liberal slant or undercurrent to "mainstream news," which is why conservative talk radio has always outperformed liberal talk radio -- it's a haven for anyone with an alternative view. But whether using the term "fake news" emboldens the President's narrative or not, it most definitely is a CORRECT term. Maybe that's just the real news you don't want published.

Far too many times creaming ""Fake news" is the tool of those who have just been busted or proven wrong.

That's where the issue lies, then those in power call the free press the enemy. Many times it's simply a matter of the truth hurting an individual.
If they cannot be correct in fact, they must control the message and make sure the real facts are never reported so they call out "Fake news".

You just KNEW that when the press decided to defend itself against the attacks by -45 and his minions, his amen corner would jump into action, repeating the very same attacks against the press that their cult leader puts out.

Funny thing, though -- if these very same cultists had the ability to think for themselves, they would realize that they were being played by -45. But I guess it's a lot easier to repeat what your cult leader tells you...

Thanks for your editorial. Yes, the free press is our friend, not our enemy; yes, we may not always agree with your positions but we respect your right to publish them; yes, we are glad you are willing to publish our opinions even when they disagree with yours.

Keep it up!

Today (August 16) the Senate passed by unanimous voice vote a resolution offered by Sens. Brian Schatz and Chuck Schumer. The resolution is focused directly at "affirming Congress’ support of the First Amendment and condemning attacks on the free press, which undermine the credibility of journalists and the press as a national institution." What follows are some of the more pertinent passages from the text of the resolution:

Whereas the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States protects the press from government control and suppression;
Whereas the freedom of the press—


has been recognized as integral to the democratic foundations of the United States since the beginning of the United States; and< /li>
has endured and been reaffirmed repeatedly throughout the history of the United States;
[...]
Whereas tyrannical and authoritarian governments and leaders throughout history have sought to undermine, censor, suppress, and control the press to advance their undemocratic goals and actions; and

Whereas the United States, including its long-held commitment to and constitutional protection of the free press, has stood as a shining example of democracy, self-government, and freedom for the world to emulate: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that:

The Senate –


affirms that the press is not the enemy of the people;

reaffirms the vital and indispensable role the free press serves to inform the electorate, uncover the truth, act as a check on the inherent power of the government, further national discourse and debate, and otherwise advance our most basic and cherished democratic norms and freedoms; and

condemns attacks on the institution of the free press and views efforts to systematically undermine the credibility of the press as a whole as an attack on our democratic institutions.
It is the sense of the Senate that it is the sworn responsibility of all who serve the United States by taking the oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States to uphold, cherish, and protect the entire Constitution, including the freedom of the press.

I find it SO ironic to see Trump supporters decrying "fake news". Especially after it's been widely confirmed that during the 2016 presidential campaign, Russia originated most of the "fake news", which was targeted at conservative voters who FELL FOR IT and voted for Trump.

I agree that the media should stand up and fight for a free press and I am glad that the Voice is joining the conversation. But to imply that the Voice has ever really been neutral in its reporting is laughable. If you are going to fight for the freedom to get the facts out there, then please walk the walk. Presently what you claim is reporting is barely veiled editorializing. Many Mountain View residents rely on the Voice for local news, so it would be nice to see more balance.

"It is a melancholy truth, that a suppression of the press could not more compleatly (sic) deprive the nation of it's benefits, than is done by it's abandoned prostitution to falsehood. Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper.

Thomas Jefferson

@interested citizen -- Remember that Tommy J. had the ability to make both sides of the argument *at the same time*.

Also know that your quote has no relevance here. After all, I'm sure that Tommy J. would be appalled at the thought of anyone like -45 holding the office he once held...

Shut up and report the NEWS

All dictators start by suppressing the press, fight for a free press and do not let Trump win! Look at Russia, after the fall of communism they had a free press until Putin took over, and then he started similar tactics to weaken the press, now he has taken over almost all media who now just repeat the Putin lies, Trump is trying to do the same here. We have got to stop him.

Since when is criticizing anything the same as suppressing it? The “president” hasn’t shut down or taken over any of the news outlets. The administration is not reviewing and only allowing certain opinions to be printed. He is “attacking” it with words. The same way the press is attacking him with words. You don’t like him, he don’t like you. You call him a bully, but you bully back. What do they teach kids about bullies? WALK AWAY.

@Not our enemy

You wrote that it's okay for people to criticize the press and hold them to task. Just out of curiosity, what do you think that would look like?

I'm not talking about the odd mistake here and there. I've seen enough articles about people/events that I had first-hand knowledge of to know that those articles will contain errors in the details somewhere, even when they are overall fairly accurate.

I'm talking about reporting that completely distorts/misrepresents what was done or said. For example, I hear someone say one thing in a speech, and the news reports claim the person said something completely different. When I hear of accusations of "fake news", this is the kind of thing that comes to mind immediately.

And this "fake news" (or whatever you want to call it) has been going on since before the 2016 election, and the campaigns that led up to it, so it isn't a "Trump thing" or a "Trump supporter thing". The press doesn't need Trump (or anyone else) to undermine their credibility. They've done that on their own.

@Darin -- You really don't understand what is going on here, do you?

Here's a hint: When you have a president labeling the press as an "enemy of the people," you're not dealing with the normal friction between politicians and the press. What you are dealing with is a narcissistic bully, totally beholden to Vladimir Putin, trying as hard as he can to cover up his misdeeds, using any means at his disposal -- even if it means that journalists get killed in the process.

And the fact that you don't get that only shows how beholden you are to -45 and his lies.

looking at the corporate interests who own the various new outlets, one realizes that we lost a free press a long time ago.

Separately while our current president certainly has engaged in the loudest and most public attack on the press, let’s not forget that his predecessor uses the police powers of the state in an attempt to suppress the press: this includes the investigation of the Associated Press and of James Rosen of Fox News.

Prior to the Obama administration, the Bush administration also engaged in this kind of nefarious behavior. A simple google search will highlight examples from both administrations.

Bottom line the executive branch has accumulated far too much power thanks to a lazy legislative branch. Our current administration highlights this very brightly

Let's hope the DemocRATS win the House and impeach trator Trump. Maybe then even Republican Senators will seize the opportunity to remove him. President Pence would then pardon Trump and he would retreat to one of his towers - maybe in Moscow. Then we can work to oust Pence with a way-cleaner candidate than Hillary Clinton. And I am no democrat.

What's funny about all the talk about "free press" is that MV Voice/ PA Weekly practices censoring on a regular basis. First, their "articles" are just liberal editorials, certainly never neutral reports of the news. And then, the minute somebody mentions a term they don't like (i.e "illegal immigant") or a conservative opinion the post gets removed as disrespectful and they shut down the conversation. If the Weekly doesn't like the opinions of the commentators they shut them down. THAT is suppression of free speech. Complaining that the press presents only biased journalism is not suppression, it's actually exercising their rights to free speech.

It's my assessment that all this grandstanding about "enemy of the people" is just another huge attempt to shut down the criticism so the media (which definitely includes the social media giants) can continue delivering their propaganda without being challenged. The "free press" does not embrace free speech.

@ Doug Pearson - "yes we are glad you are willing to publish our opinions even when they disagree with yours"

Except they don't allow us to publish our opinions when they disagree with theirs. They shut down the conversation and remove our posts (under the guise of disrespect even though no disrespect is shown). The fact that a commentors opinion may lean to the right is, I guess, disrespectful in their eyes.

You have definitely picked out the right screen name for your posts, "Propaganda" -- because your posts are nothing but alt-right propaganda.

What you and your ilk keep forgetting on a regular basis is that publications like the Voice have the right to control what is posted on their websites.

Don't like it? Stick to Breitbart and InfoWars, where your type hang out most of the time.

@ Hypocrites "What you and your ilk keep forgetting on a regular basis is that publications like the Voice have the right to control what is posted on their websites."

LOL Thank you Hypocrites for making my case!

(In case you're not sharp enough to catch my joke):
prop·a·gan·da
noun
1.derogatory
information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.

I have been blocked several times from making posts. When I email the webmaster asking why, I'm given reasons that don't add up. When I questioned it more I then got an email from Andrea Gemmett, Editor, saying that "while she was unable to determine the exact reason, I had been blocked due to posting against terms". I emailed back asking for a specific post of mine that was against terms and did not hear back.

These are the things that make many of us distrust the press. I also agree that the Voice is overwhelmingly liberal and slanted in their representations.....and while that is entirely their prerogative, they are absolutely entitled to their views, they are wrong to present info as "news", it's nothing more than opinion pieces and more Editorial journalism. It's too bad they can't give voice to both sides.

What case, "Propaganda"? That you know how to copy and paste?

I guess you've forgotten that your favorite media outlets (or more accurately, propaganda machines) -- Fox "News," Breitbart, and InfoWars -- themselves regulate what is on their platforms.

[Portion removed due to disrespectful comment or offensive language]

The whole thing about liberal bias in media is a complete myth. The only bias is toward what sells. Fox News makes tons of bucks pedaling any number of wacky conservative theories. That's not bias, they are just in it for the money. People pay attention to all the antics of the White House under Donald J Trump. All the media does is report on it. The actors putting on the program are Donald J Trump and company.

mvresident - all your posts, duh.

mvresident2003's report above is thought-provoking. If a publication website posts terms of use, those work both ways: readers look for them to be applied consistently and impartially. If neither webmaster nor editor can explain which Terms warranted removing a registered user's comments (comments that mvresident2003 presumably saved copies of, and can show to site personnel for that purpose), it doesn't build confidence that the deletions reflect the terms, rather than someone's arbitrary personal opinion. Whether a site's moderation is consistent or arbitrary is judged ultimately by the readership, not the moderators.

I'm not a Trump supporter or apologist, but it's clear enough to open-minded people that snarky name-calling and dogma such as "The Hypocrites Are Here" posted above only help, unwittingly, to legitimize the commenters they attack, and to substantiate the whole complaint about press bias and how it comes about.

@Propaganda: "Wow. I guess you haven’t noticed the liberal bias in the media? And that the “free” press only produces news that suits the left and/or mega corporations?"

I read lots of negative coverage about mega corporations, including the ones you mention. Enough to regularly make me mad at them. And I've read plenty of articles over the years critical of Obama, the Clintons (especially the Clintons), Sanders, Cuomo, Jerry Brown, other Democrats and liberals. And I get my news from "lefty fake news sites" like the Washington Post, New York Times, Politico, Slate, New Yorker, etc. etc. I disagree that they only report bad news about Republicans, very strongly.

Also, it has always been true that different newspapers had different political slants (bias, if you will). There were always papers in more conservative markets whose editorial boards reliably endorsed conservative candidates, and those that endorsed more progressive ones. Also, while I believe that most actual journalists, whether they worked for a more conservative paper or a more liberal one, tried to report facts to the best of their knowledge, I'm sure that the way they each presented the factual info would put a more conservative or liberal spin on it. Was always true. I admit I should read more right-leaning publications to get a more balanced view, but I absolutely DO read articles in my regular news sources that are critical of progressives.

I also regularly check fact-checking sites like FactCheck.org and the Washington Post's fact checker. And yes, they DO point out the inaccuracies, misstatements, and downright lies of Democrats as well as Republicans, so they are valuable tools to help figure out what is what.

So if the Times, Post, etc. are criticized for a "liberal bias" are you also critical of the Washington Times, Sinclair Broadcasting, Manchester Union Leader, etc., for their "conservative bias"? Maybe bias is only bad if it leans left.

Thank you Humble Advisor for your rational comments. There are so many instances where others comments are completely disrespectful or offensive yet I have never requested that they be removed. Frankly I prefer that they stay as they lead further credence to the attitude and views of the poster. I have a feeling, not certain but a feeling, that a lot of those name-calling posters are ones “reporting objectionable comments” and if moderators are catering to their requests this is a very bad precedent. Just because we don’t agree with something should not make it objectionable as a comment.

Even during Washingtons terms as president, he had nothing but negatives about the the press, I guess thinks real do not change much.

Don't forget who run and own a lot of the presses, Unions, just like they own our CA politicians. Unions are the biggest Super Pack there is and they are trying to bankrupt our cites.

I stopped buying the SJMN paper because of their bias, especially in there editorials, i find Sac newspaper to be the same garbage.

Oh ya, i was one of the many Russia convinced to vote for Trump. Hahahahaha, can you see the stupidity of this? The Dems are riding this horse to death. I voted for him because he says the truth. Too many illegals sneaking in, let do something about it. Yes, a wall, will work. If Muslims from certain societies threaten our peace, yes, lets do a temporary ban. Yes, i do believe in people power to protect ones self by owning a gun. Yes, I believe capitalism is what made America great. NOT GREAT govt. for those that think the govt can do a better job is just kidding themselves. Like this rent control issue, is another way to make govt bigger and take away your right to make some money as a landlord.

@Hypocrite, you also forgot to mention with Fox news, Micheal Savage.

And here I come back, and it looks like our resident alt-right commenters have turned this discussion into their own sounding board.

Never mind that they have no real clue about what's being discussed here -- it's all about their own feelings of victimization. Of course, if these types don't get their way, they play the victim card.

Weak. Really, really weak.

Lots of people talking about this and the dialogue continues.
This is the benefit of a free and unfettered press.

Thank you for that editorial.

I'm reminded of that slogan from the Canard Enchaîné -banned during World War 2-

"La liberté de la presse ne s’use que quand on ne s’en sert pas"

"Freedom of the press only wears out when it is not used"

mvresident2003: ' I have a feeling, not certain but a feeling, that a lot of those name-calling posters are ones “reporting objectionable comments” and if moderators are catering to their requests this is a very bad precedent. . ..'

Yes, my experience (considerable, mostly on other websites, occasionally as a moderator) has been exactly that. A minority of posters who bully and bluster -- who create most of the negativity in a forum -- are typically the same ones who "report" other people's comments that they don't like. I even know from a medical expert that this behavior is of interest and study among his fellow psychiatrists; that certain comment behavior online is looking to be a useful telltale of personality disorders in the Cluster-B group such as NPD ( Web Link ).

But ideally, Terms-of-Use and effective "moderator" efforts focus on the few problem participants, in order to maintain a more constructive public-comments forum, and consequently attract more participants. I've seen it work elsewhere, but it needs commitment; if the moderators only act mechanistically on "flag" complaints, they can unknowingly and ironically end up supporting the problem posters. (Some of my Mountain-View neighbors say they give up on even reading the Town Square forum, precisely because of these issues.)

Hmmm, the right wing decries the "fake news" of CNN, MSNBC, PBS, all the while ignoring Rush Linbaugh, Alex Jones, tea party conspiracies. The latest one from teaparty.org- "Brennan in charge of Mueller investigation" or Alex Jones who declared Sandy Hook a hoax. And now we have a near state run media outlet where the president and an anchor both parrot the same obnoxious ideas- none other than Sean Hannity and fox. These media outlets and not fair and balanced, and only those off balance could possibly believe otherwise. They are propaganda machines that make us look more and more like a banana republic or worse. I would bet Goebbels would be jealous. All this is brought to you by the people who told you Obama was born in Kenya or the moon landing never happened. Just because you don't agree with something DOES not make it fake. This just in from teaparty.org: Journalist investigating Clinton Child Sex Crimes turns up Dead!

A question for everyone: Does anyone really believe Sandy Hook was a hoax?

We are a microcosm of the debate. On this site, you can read divergent views on various topics. The debates can become quite heated and sometimes devolve to name-calling. The editor does a decent job moderating our discussions. Mostly, we express our opinions and offer suggestions.
Free Press is not guaranteed; it must be protected.

"I'm talking about reporting that completely distorts/misrepresents what was done or said. For example, I hear someone say one thing in a speech, and the news reports claim the person said something completely different. When I hear of accusations of "fake news", this is the kind of thing that comes to mind immediately."

Its easy to this to Trump because his statements are often dripping with sarcasm.
The media loves to take his words out of context, disingenuously pretend that he was being 100 percent serious, and then blow it out of proportion for political gain.
A perfect example of this is his comments after the Charlottesville event a year ago. Everyone knows that Trump isn't a Nazi sympathizer, at worst he is an opportunist and didn't want to lose some votes.
But the media were hellbent on taking his statements and ascribing a totally false intention to them. I think they do it knowingly.
Same thing with the recent Putin summit.
The inaccuracy and fabricated hysteria in all the headlines and articles is staggering. It is mindblowing. Enemy of the people, indeed.

Former CA Resident -- "Its easy to this to Trump because his statements are often dripping with sarcasm.
The media loves to take his words out of context, disingenuously pretend that he was being 100 percent serious, and then blow it out of proportion for political gain."

Okaaaaaaaaaay...so why, exactly, do you believe *that*?

[Portion removed due to disrespectful comment or offensive language]

They never get invited to parties. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Post removed due to disrespectful comment or offensive language]

[Post removed due to disrespectful comment or offensive language]

While "the media” being called out for reporting falsehoods is a new thing, it is long past due. The adage, “Don’t believe everything you read in newspapers” has been around for ages, and because so much reporting is inaccurate.

Walter Cronkite reporting is a thing of the past. We all know that. When falsehoods are reported, or facts misrepresented, on purpose, it is not from a friend, but from an ‘enemy’. Thus, that term is accurate.

“The media” includes social media. Facebook profited from the advertising from foreign sources, during our last election. Yet, these corporate entities continue to censor opinions with which they disagree, such as Prager University videos that are educational and backed up by history, and Diamond and Silk, for their opinions. I object.

Prager University article in The Washington Times, "When Fascism Comes to America" is here:

Web Link

[Post removed due to disrespectful comment or offensive language]

The media is bigger than newspapers and radio and network tv nowadays. There is entirely "fake" news and plenty of political bias and spin in reporting, although good newspapers try to provide facts. But there are also many more players trying to influence public opinion from PG&E to Putin. And fake news Fox has lead to spin zone MSNBC on cable. Now we have a President "elected" based on a lousy opponent and a lot of lies. Donald Trump is actively trying to con everyone except perhaps puppet master Putin to whom he plainly is beholden. Trump and his sidekick Michael Pence should be ousted from office and deported to Mars or Venus - their choice. Trump would choose Venus because it is "hotter" than most of the females he has attacked. Pence would go to Mars because he would claim that heading up a RED PLANET would be a promotion from being Governor of a RED STATE and there would be no legal term limits on Mars.

[Post removed due to disrespectful comment or offensive language]

[Post removed due to disrespectful comment or offensive language]

[Post removed due to disrespectful comment or offensive language]

So much time spent here and not in the world. Anger and frustration festers when you don't get out, because the sadness is within you and is helped when you get out and interact face to face with others. Real people are not nearly as frustrating as the one's people imagine in their minds.

"unprecedented coordinated"...bias and attempt at total Liberal control of the media.

It's happened before - heard of Pravda?

Because any conservative view is worth a full-on bully attack into submission, right?

And the response from the Voice appears to be:

[Post removed due to disrespectful comment or offensive language]

True freedom of speech is truly dead, thanks to today's "media".

@Frank -- "True freedom of speech is truly dead, thanks to today's 'media'."

Really? Really?

Just because you're not getting your way on the Voice website does NOT mean that "true freedom of speech is dead."

Here's something else to consider: Try going on to either the Breitbart site, or any of the pages associated with InfoWars. Post that what they put out is wrong, and is not based on facts. Think they will leave the comment up on their site(s)?

You people are so invested in this msg board noogie fest. The amount of emotion evident in the posts is astounding. I don't think it's healthy at all. It sure doesn't seem like it.

Maybe a walk outside -- "The amount of emotion evident in the posts is astounding. I don't think it's healthy at all. It sure doesn't seem like it."

Hate to break it to you like this, but these are not healthy times we are living in. After all, we have a "president" who tells an audience at one of his rallies, "Don't believe what you see or what you hear."

This may be hyperbole, but quite frankly, that statement has "1984" written all over it. And the fact that there are those on this board who get upset when the "president" is taken to task for statements like that says a lot about these times.

The recent refusal by Facebook to ban, (then restore under pressure), Elizabeth Heng's Congressional campaign ad showing the brutal and 100% true results of the communist dictator Pol Pot's Cambodian regime show just how MV Voice and other non-objective media sources behave. I read MV voice, but always with a big grain of salt due to its extreme bias. History may not be pretty but burying the truth is not objective journalism either.

“Fake News” was never a problem with the former WH administration. It started right after Mr bone spur Donnie was nominated to be the GPO candidate in 2016. Right after bone spur Donnie said the 2016 election was rigged. Short term memories of the bone spur Donnie supporters probably already forgot. It’s okay, we’re just counting down the days when this administration looses their lease on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

I find it amazing that the MV Voice, which recently has taken to deleting entire threads of conversations, is complaining that the President is attacking the media! Has the President shut down any newspapers? Has he passed any executive orders that restrict the press or first Amendment in any way?

I wish the press were as zealous about protecting the second Amendment as they are the first!

The President wouldn't have so much traction regarding his claims that the media was dishonest, if the media would just stop being so dishonest where he is concerned. I have had my own experiences with the media being dishonest in reporting accurately and/or in context, what I said. The media also chooses very often to ignore, filter and or/delete ideas with which it disagrees; instead of providing a platform for the OPEN exchange of ALL ideas, which was their original mandate.

The press was supposed to protect the people from a corrupt government, not act as cheerleaders for the Democrat Party and Socialism.


Jim Neal
Modesto, Ca
(Formerly Old Mountain View)

Hahaha Jim, you can't help yourself with that silly, childish verbal tic of calling it the "Democrat Party." The name of the party is the Democratic Party, and the fact that you keep doing that over and over again shows what a sad partisan you are. Grow up, cowboy.

Surprise, surprise! Jim Neal finally shows up -- and as usual for him, he gets things VERY wrong.

To wit:

"I find it amazing that the MV Voice, which recently has taken to deleting entire threads of conversations, is complaining that the President is attacking the media! Has the President shut down any newspapers? Has he passed any executive orders that restrict the press or first Amendment in any way?"

If you *actually* listen to -45's rhetoric, you would know that it would please him to no end that he would like to do exactly that, with the exception of media outlets friendly to his viewpoints (e.g. Fox "News.")

"The President wouldn't have so much traction regarding his claims that the media was dishonest, if the media would just stop being so dishonest where he is concerned."

How exactly is THAT possible? -45 lies on a constant basis, and he contradicts himself on every possible issue from one day to the next.

"I have had my own experiences with the media being dishonest in reporting accurately and/or in context, what I said."

Your message is what you should have had a problem with, Neal. After all, it wasn't an accident that you finished last -- LAST -- in every city council election you ran in Mountain View.

"The media also chooses very often to ignore, filter and or/delete ideas with which it disagrees; instead of providing a platform for the OPEN exchange of ALL ideas, which was their original mandate."

And when someone disagrees with you, you want their comment to be removed. Hypocrisy, much?

"The press was supposed to protect the people from a corrupt government, not act as cheerleaders for the Democrat Party and Socialism."

Oh boy...guess you don't get that the current administration happens to be corrupt, eh? And as for being cheerleaders -- you need to stop reading Breitbart and InfoWars, because they're skewing the truth beyond recognition.

Everyone should note that the usual tactics are in play here; if you can't come up with a valid counter-argument, engage in personal attacks to distract from pertinent obserVations. Note how no one was able to contradict the FACT that the Voice has been deleting entire sets of comments; most of which DID NOT violate any terms and were not personal attacks against anyone, but merely thoughtful observations that while not politically correct, are certainly valid viewpoints.

It is also a lie that I have ever asked for any post to be removed other than those of people claiming to be me. I have forever commented that I find it interesting that many posts that are personal attacks against me are not removed, but I actually think that's a good thing! It clearly shows the tactics employed by those who want to stifle the free exchange of ideas.

Which brings me back to the topic at hand, which is that we are seeing not just the print media, but also social media, engaging in the stifling of free speech, by deleting or using algorithms to prevent the posting of ideas that the publishers or companies find do not fit their particular political point of view.

I like to be fully informed, which is why I read publications from many sources, including from other countries. If I wanted only to read and be informed only by those publications with whose politics I always agree, I certainly wouldn't be reading the MV Voice.

I firmly believe that in this time, where AntiFa is viciously attackig and brutalizing people just for having a different opinion, where people are harassed just because of their politics or who they work for, and where police are assassinated merely because they ARE policemen and women, it i more important than ever for ALL of us to demand that out voices be heard, and demand that the Media begin to live up to their Constitutional mandate to protect the freedoms of everyone, and not just those whom they agree with politically.

If you want an example of a state where the press, the military, the government, and business are all one; one needs look no further than Venezuela or China. One party rule is in NO ONE'S best interest and we need our media to hold everyone in government accountable.



Jim Neal
Modesto, Ca
(Formerly Old Mountain View)

And wouldn't you know it -- when Jim Neal is challenged, he doesn't show himself to be the better person. Far from it!

All that Neal shows is that he can't stop lying about his actions or motivations; he doesn't *actually* bother to read other news sources; he plainly buys into the alt-right narrative (Antifa brutalizing people? Seriously? And with no evidence provided, no less); and he is *incredibly thin-skinned (which explains why he would have made for a lousy politician).

A wise man once said, "If you're digging yourself into a hole, stop digging." Jim Neal just looks for more shovels.

Hey Jim Neal Modesto CA (formerly Old Mountain View), gonna apologize for saying "Democrat Party" instead of their actual name? Will you pretend to be high-minded while acting like a child? Maybe it's about time to ride off into the Modesto sunset, cowboy.

It appears that LOL and Hypcrites are the same poster. No valid arguments, no sincere dialogue, just name calling and character assassination. Really immature and says far more about him than about those he attacks. I’m guessing this post will be met with a barrage of insults but I won’t respond. Not worth my time.

One question....did MV Voice report in a fair, and unbiased manner regarding the recent rent control initiative?

....bonus question: Did MV Voice hold MVCC members to task for their blatant lies during their campaigns regarding BRT?

Jim Neal Modesto CA (formerly Old Mountain View) Stans are the funniest. @True, what do you think of Jim's refusal to call his political opponents by their chosen name? Let's say I started to call him Jimmy-Hat (Jim plus his cowboy hat, naturally). Certainly, that's childish. Now, why doesn't that apply to him?

When you know you're dealing with someone who's losing the argument:

"It appears that LOL and Hypcrites are the same poster."

Nice try, sport, but no prize for you.

"No valid arguments, no sincere dialogue, just name calling and character assassination."

Pot, meet kettle. Given your posts, you should be the LAST person making statements like that.

"I’m guessing this post will be met with a barrage of insults but I won’t respond. Not worth my time."

Of course you won't...except that's exactly what you did the first gazillion times before...

There's some really good, mature dialogue going on over at the sister publication for PA, anyone interested in sincere discourse should take a look there.

@mvresident2003 -- You mean the discussion that's going on at Douglas Moran's latest blog post? The one that's turned into an alt-right fest?

Pass.

Yeah, that comments section STARTS with someone referencing (and misspelling) Benghazi, and somehow managed to go downhill from there. Join that with the massive amount of censorship that Mr. Moran does for any comment that disagrees with him, it's no surprise mvresident2003 thinks that's a great example of discourse at work.