I thought the debate over blog ethics that Kos and the CJR had a couple weeks back was a really nice, pleasant, academic sort of discussion.
Until today.
Today was simultaneously the best and worst day of my life. See my previous diary entry for why it was the best.
Now on to the worst.
Today, the Governor of the State of Texas called out my home blog, Burnt Orange Report, and Gov. Perry seemed to have accused us of being part of a conspiracy to drive the rumors which have plagued him and Mrs. Perry.
Of course, woe to anyone that takes what we're simply noting as capitol chatter as "fact."
At first I thought this was, perhaps strange, definitely funny, and just plain weird.
Now it's just sad. I feel that the attack was meant to hurt us (the Statesman story says the Governor wanted critics to "suffer.") I had once proudly put BOR on my resume as, you know, proof that I was literate in the English language (or something).
Now I'm going to have to take it off - and expect potential employers to be wary of me since the Governor said I'm a partisan conspirator.
(Which, by the way, is simply not true -- never once was I asked to say anything about Perry's alleged infidelities by an employee or agent of the Texas Democratic Party.)
Am I sorry? I'm sorry that what we passed on as rumor appears to have hurt the governor. I would have been willing to offer my most gracious, heart-felt apology had he asked for it, instead of using this whole mess as a bludgeon to attack bloggers specifically, and Democrats generally.
Four kids and an Internet connection are a threat to democracy. Pass it on.