JG Investigating Bloggers?

It is interesting that Assemblyman Jerry Green is now looking into policing bloggers.

"The blogger should be held legally responsible for the messages relayed through his/her blog and frankly the blogger should face the retaliatory action of a court of law..."

I have recently advised a couple of commenters to present their views without including direct allegations of wrongdoing by individuals. It has become all too common for commenters to toss around inflammatory terms, which at the minimum demean the level of discourse and at the maximum might constitute an actionable slur.

Of course, Green does not publish comments, so he does not have that particular concern. He does, however, use his own remarks on his blog to mischaracterize individuals politically and to assign intentions to people. This brings us to the question of character assassination, defined as "the slandering of a person usually with the intention of destroying public confidence in that person." Green sees nothing wrong with calling someone of his own Democratic Party a "Republican," utterly without proof and obviously to tarnish the person in the minds of the public. Now we see his new epithet is "a Tea Party member," which is even worse, as this particular group has rightly or wrongly gained the image of reverting to extreme behavior to make ideological points.

By registering with a party, a person commits to a particular general outlook that is demonstrated by its leadership. As a Democrat, I voted for and support President Barack Obama. He embodies the progressive ideals of the Democratic Party. To call me a Republican, as Green has done several times, is to assign me an ideology that I have not endorsed. On the local level, to be called out of my political name by an elected official effectively disenfranchises me, as I cannot expect any understanding or assistance from such a politician when as a constituent I may need it.

So let Assemblyman Green wag his finger at bloggers and invoke the weight of the law for those who misstep. And then let him look in the mirror and ask himself, what am I doing when I tell the public on Jerry Green's Page that such-and-such a local figure did wrong or endorses a political stance antithetical to his or her party affiliation. As a blogger himself, will Green man up and accept the consequences of what he says about people?

--Bernice