March 22, 2005
Judging Andy Barrie
When I read Metro Morning Host Andy Barrie had told a blogger to "leave Canada" and that the blogger’s departure would give him the satisfaction of "knowing that someone who gets his facts from Fox won't be voting in any more Canadian elections," I figured it was only a matter of time before the media pounced on the story and ran with it.
However, since the Barrie missive came to light, only the National Post has made reference to the story and that, only to tell us they would not editorialize on the topic because it would make Comment Editor Jonathan Kay "a hypocrite many times over."
In an exchange of emails published today, Mr. Kay argues since most media figures get lots of angry email to which they respond professionally and responsibly, the odd "ill-judged retort" can be forgiven. He also argues the blogger provoked the response with his message of complaint.
Well, Mr. Kay, I think your view belies another kind of hypocrisy. When a backbench MP loses his temper and gives an opposition member the finger, it leads the six o’clock news. When an athlete flies off the handle and goes toe-to-toe with a heckling fan, it is a front-page story.
If another public figure - say, a politician – had sent an angry email telling someone to leave the country, don’t you think it would have rightly earned him or her more than a few condemnations in Canada’s daily newspapers? Why should journalists be held to a lower standard?
Posted by maxthecat at March 22, 2005 10:19 AM
http://www.maxsmewsings.com/mt/archives/2005/03/judging_andy_barrie.php