I don’t have much to say about this, so this isn’t really my typical diary. However, I know there are many commenters here who have been critical of Salon writers for being such entrenched Bernie supporters that they can’t find anything positive to write about Hillary.
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I thought I’d post this, run it up the Kos flag, so to speak, and see what others think about what Salon has become.
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While there are a few Salon contributors I think write fair and thought provoking political pieces (Digby, Amanda Marcotte, for example), they seem to have become biased towards Bernie. Of course, unlike Kos, Salon wants to follow Huffington Post and cover books, films, TV, modern life, etc. In fact I liked their piece on one of my favorite shows, “Orange is the New Black.” That got a grand total of six comments and one of them was mine.
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This article is by Richard L. Cupp Jr. who is the John W. Wade Professor of Law at Pepperdine Law School. While it makes some valid points about the mistreatment of animals, and I can live with the play on words title, it is a stretch to turn it into an essay on politics when there are far, far, more important issues at stake in this election. I especially object to the photo — give me a break — it’s not too subtle a condemnation showing a frowning Hillary next to an adorable kitten.
Read article here
Hillary Clinton’s campaign has wisely caught on to an evolving voter dynamic by crafting a position paper outlining her support for protecting animals. But is she for animal rights or for animal welfare? From Salon
Clinton’s position paper does not go this far. It provides a vaguely worded list of mainstream animal welfare concerns such as “strengthening regulation of ‘puppy mills’” and “encouraging farms to raise animals humanely.”
The most interesting aspect of Clinton’s position paper is its description of the candidate as having “a strong record of standing up for animal rights.” “Animal rights” is a loaded term, and even animal rights supporters cannot agree as to what it means. Some animal rights advocates interpret the term loosely, and view animals as already having some rights because laws exist to protect them.
As an “animal rights” supporter who has only articulated support for protections that fit within an animal welfare paradigm, maybe Clinton can have her cake and eat it too. To the majority of Americans who would probably not support granting legal personhood to animals, her animal rights language may be interpreted as simply caring for animals. But to the substantial and growing minority of Americans who express support for a more extreme interpretation of animal rights, Clinton’s use of the term may provide hope that she could be open to their views.
Of course, everyone can express their disgruntlement with Daily Kos too, not that Bernie supporters have been shy about expressing their unhappiness with Mr. Moulitsas when they think he isn’t being fair to them.
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Obviously I think Salon has finally jumped the shark. What do you think?
(In the hour since I read this 50 more people have commented on this Salon article. Some pretty good ones:
Mostly I'm amused by the image they photoshopped together. "Is Hillary planning to make a coat out of your pets? Tune in at 11!” If Fox News did something like that, we'd never let them live it down.
Cats should be treated as persons, which means catnip should be outlawed and those using should be jailed.
Just as it's fascinating how you can fail to tie this article -- which in the photo is blatantly trying to equate Hillary with Cruella De Vil -- with the ongoing campaign of Sanders Love / Hillary Hate that has consumed this place for months. You know what they're doing as well as I do.
It's a can of worms. If you can convince dogs to vote one way, cats are just gonna vote the other way. And what about those worms? Who knows what they want, anyway?
Struggling for a new angle to hate Hillary from, are we? Bernie lost. He lost because he didn't make a point of reaching out to blacks and Hispanics until it was far too late. It was both a strategic error and a moral failing on his part, and one he shared with Romney 2012 of all people. Suck it up already Salon.
