Flying the Banner For The Right Wing? Why It Is A Dangerous Strategy

Fit To Speak: From The Archives host Eugene Obah lays out why a recent op-ed—and its publishing—poisons the well for journalism

On September 20, The Baltimore Banner published this outrageous op-ed from Brian Griffiths, which has led the public, along with many of the Banner’s staff—rightfully—to speak out against the fact that it’d even be published.

Views have to be presented in good faith. Most conservatives, as we have discussed on Fit To Speak, have made an art form of playing the victim about being “canceled” for their views. But when it comes to the subject of human rights and inclusiveness, it’s not a matter of opinion; it’s a matter of right and wrong. And what’s interesting is that the upstart Banner—which, otherwise, is giving The Baltimore Sun a run for its money—explicitly states in its Twitter bio that they report stories that make life better for its primary readership in Maryland. But what the piece actually does—which included nonsense on how learning about sexuality does not prepare people for leading successful lives—and in actually running it is that it contributes to the poisoning of the well of the national discourse, which has been occurring an at an alarming rate, no thanks to those like the “not smart” Herschel Walker and the former and twice-impeached U.S. President Donald Trump.

I was at an event at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism relatively recently, and in piggybacking off of a point that was made by the featured guest, I made mention that what news organizations cover—and I’ll add, the voices that are featured—are reflective of the values of ownership. Here at CSE Media, for instance, we believe that the tenets of journalism, combined with common sense, is the way that journalism must be practiced. Both-sidesism does not work—and again, there’s not a “side” for human rights—platforming the likes of Griffiths for the sake of balance is wrong. Those who spout falsehoods should not have a hearing. I don’t particularly care to hear that “sunlight is the best disinfectant”—news organizations have a fundamental responsibility to present the truth to the public and serve the public interest, not to engage in false balance in the name of “objectivity”.

The Banner, should they wish to have any longevity in this industry, would do well not to follow the path of the defunct RT America (though it did have a 12 year run), which, as I’ve mentioned in a previous article on this site, largely contributed to the rise of Alex Jones to the mainstream consciousness in its early years, and, in the tail end of its run, had a bizarre “strategy” of becoming FOX-lite, which I explained more about on the August 5 edition of Fit To Speak: From The Archives.

Hopefully the powers-that-be at The Banner see the segment and see how the few ruined it for the many that did good work, otherwise, The Banner, should they decide to continue on this path with op-ed’s like what was penned by Griffiths, may not even see 12 months. 

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