# Fuck you MSM. Just fuck you. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 21, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519 "2006-02-21T20:07:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/41 "2006-02-22T01:54:23Z")
I should emphasize that my search was extremely superficial, took about two minutes, and was intended solely to demonstrate that the NYT did cover the weekend’s events. It was not intended to demonstrate that there was adequate coverage of the weekend’s events; I’m not sure how I’d demonstrate such a thing except (as **mhendo** has helpfully done) by referring to hard copies. Furthermore, my search was complicated by NYT coverage of other Nigerian violence over the weekend: pipelines were attacked. In two minutes, I just scanned results quickly for ones that obviously dealt with the cartoon riots and not the pipeline attacks. That’s all the criteria I used. **Kid** , it’s your case to prove. I don’t need to prove a negative, and for all I know, the media didn’t give the riots adequate coverage. Your OP is completely unhelpful in establishing that, however. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/42 "2006-02-22T02:00:43Z")
I thought MSM was a typo for MSN. I thought someone was having problems with their dial-up service. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/43 "2006-02-22T02:04:17Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > I thought MSM was a typo for MSN. I thought someone was having problems with their dial-up service. In the fight for honesty, that’s what I thought when opening the thread. Either that or a pyramid marketing thingie (Amway or whatever they are called M something) ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/44 "2006-02-22T02:06:16Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > As opposed to what, Rumpelstilskin bounding up with a clipping of the article and laying it at my feet? Ever since **Unclebeer** mentioned PJ O’Rourke’s magnificent quote\*, I’ve been seeing evidence of it everywhere. > > Daniel > > - Life is full of ironies for the stupid. There’s another quote, too: “One of the strongest human motivations is to seek out a perch from which to look down upon everyone else”. Despite our frequent disagreements, you’re a good guy, **LHoD** ; and with all due respect I hope you’re not falling into that trap. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/45 "2006-02-22T02:09:39Z")
psst. Want to guess what the first three letters of “news” stand for? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/46 "2006-02-22T02:14:46Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > psst. > > Want to guess what the first three letters of “news” stand for? > > -Joe Never ever wrong? Never enjoy weed? No easy way? Nudity equals wildness? Okay you got me what does it stand for? _Prepares to go to the corner with the dunce cap_ ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/47 "2006-02-22T02:14:46Z")
> [@Starving Artist](#): > > Despite our frequent disagreements, you’re a good guy, **LHoD** ; and with all due respect I hope you’re not falling into that trap. I could almost say the same thing about you. Isn’t there a term for that? Daniel ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/48 "2006-02-22T02:20:38Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > I could almost say the same thing about you. Isn’t there a term for that? > > Daniel Marriage? ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/49 "2006-02-22T02:21:29Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > I could almost say the same thing about you. Isn’t there a term for that? > > Daniel A mutual admiration society? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/50 "2006-02-22T02:23:46Z")
> [@Starving Artist](#): > > A mutual admiration society? Nobody ever walks into my traps. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/51 "2006-02-22T02:25:34Z")
I admire most of the posters here, in fact all of them I have run across. The intelligence of the posters leaves me in a state of awe. Now that I am off your knobs can we get back to the important question that needs answered. What does news stand for??!??! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/52 "2006-02-22T02:29:10Z")
> [@Abbie Normal](#): > > What does news stand for??!??! It comes from the word “new.” What **Merijeek** was trying to do, if i read him correctly, is reinforce the notion that, because this particular incident happened on Saturday, and has already been reported, there is no need for it to be on the front page of today’s newspapers and websites. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/53 "2006-02-22T02:30:34Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > It comes from the word “new.” > > What **Merijeek** was trying to do, if i read him correctly, is reinforce the notion that, because this particular incident happened on Saturday, and has already been reported, there is no need for it to be on the front page of today’s newspapers and websites. _puts on the dunce cap while muttering something about being a damn fool_ Thanks ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/54 "2006-02-22T02:32:55Z")
I’m not siding with anyone here, but I have noticed a huge disparity in things termed religious. I remember years ago seeing pictures of the infamous “art” that involved both a Crucifix in a jar of urine and elephant shit scattered on a portrayal of the Virgin Mary. Not caricatures, but the actual pictures published in the paper. The editorial stances were overwhelmingly that it was freedom of expression and, though offensive to the majority of Christians and/or Catholics (granted, us Papists are more evil than suicide bombers to quite a few Dopers), the “artists” had a right to offer controversial expressions of religion. How many US papers have published the cartoons? Last I heard it was one in New York. Any others? Any number even remotely close to the number that published those that I mentioned? Either bias or cowardice. It’s certainly not because the cartoons are offensive to Muslims. It’s telling that papers can run editorial “cartoons” that mock and deride all Christians because of a few dipshits, but refuse to publish anything that remotely suggests that Islam has some misfits. Maybe because Christians don’t riot and kill people _en masse_ over differing opinions? Maybe it takes mass killings of our own to finally break and retaliate? I don’t know. But it seems plausible. What I’m still curious about is why it took so long for this passion to come about over the cartoons. Weren’t they published months ago? I realize the douchebags causing the trouble are backward fanatics, but what suddenly brought it all to a head recently? If there were a conspiracy, I’d lean toward this. The French riots were started over the cartoons. Nobody really caught on because the focus was on social progression and finding the socio-economic resons to understand why they were throwing fire bombs at firefighters. Only then did the media realize how bad they muffed the story and realized it was one of their own that started it all. At that point they went apoplectic in their _mea culpa_’s and not only did the self-flagellation but decided to make amends by calling attention to the cartoons in a way to redeem themselves by trying to make the world better as is their mission. Forget reporting news, they must shape it. Hey, it’s as good a reason as the Islamo-Fascists are offering. I don’t care which news source you talk about. They should all do what they purport to do. Deliver the news. Leave the opinion to the editorial pages. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/55 "2006-02-22T02:39:43Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > I remember years ago seeing pictures of the infamous “art” that involved both a Crucifix in a jar of urine and elephant shit scattered on a portrayal of the Virgin Mary. Not caricatures, but the actual pictures published in the paper. The editorial stances were overwhelmingly that it was freedom of expression and, though offensive to the majority of Christians and/or Catholics (granted, us Papists are more evil than suicide bombers to quite a few Dopers), the “artists” had a right to offer controversial expressions of religion. > How many US papers have published the cartoons? Last I heard it was one in New York. Any others? Any number even remotely close to the number that published those that I mentioned? There are several possible explanations for this phenomenon: 1. Newspapers in Christian countries with predominantly Christian readerships and predominantly Christian staffs (staves?) think that pissing off Christians makes good financial, ethical, and aesthetic sense. 2. Piss Christ has more aesthetic merit than the Danish cartoons, in the eyes of the reporters. 3. Newspapers have an antiestablishment bent, especially in Thomas Paine’s country, and are likelier to print art that tweaks the overdog than art that tweaks the underdog. 4. Controversy sells, and Piss Christ is more controversial in the US than anti-Muslim cartoons. 5. Piss Christ was an existing controversy in the US, with intelligent, principled people coming down on both sides of the issue; the Danish cartoons are less controversial here. Do you subscribe to one of these theories, or a different one? Daniel ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/56 "2006-02-22T02:47:07Z")
My opinion on news all boils down to sports. Yes sports, controversy sales papers. After the Steelers win, it was not “Steelers Win” it was “Seahawks robbed by refs” After Denver beat the Patriots it was not “Denver Wins” it was “Patriots Lose” all meant to get people to read the paper, etc. If I am a turtle fondling, Loupertolip worshipping purple thing. And I walked by a newstand and the headline said “Loupertolip art, a mainstay of todays society” nothing to grab my attention I will walk by. Now if that same headline was “Loupertoipians upset over artist defecating in the mouth of Loupertolip” I will buy the paper, turn on the news and watch the events unfold. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/57 "2006-02-22T02:50:19Z")
> [@Duffer](#): > > What I’m still curious about is why it took so long for this passion to come about over the cartoons. Weren’t they published months ago? I realize the douchebags causing the trouble are backward fanatics, but what suddenly brought it all to a head recently? > > If there were a conspiracy, I’d lean toward this. Duffer, maybe I’m paranoid, but I suspect some “professional rabble rousers” are behind all the rioting, for their own selfish reasons. You know, make sure everybody knows about the pictures (but probably haven’t seen then because it’s so offensive and muslim law forbids pictures of the Prophet and all :rolleyes: ), keep them stirred up over it, and encourage them to go out and start burning stuff. I don’t think it’s an organized conspiracy (but not sure), maybe it’s just something the trouble makers are all latched onto because they see the opportunity to cause trouble. Still, rioting and killing over cartoons is stupid, and the police should be cracking down hard. If they can’t handle it, the various governments can call martial law. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/58 "2006-02-22T03:01:30Z")
I don’t get it. The fucking Danish cartoons have been all over the news like a cheap suit for fucking weeks, they’ve been the subject of dozens of threads on this very board, right-wing radio knobheads like Chris fucking Baker have been bloviating about it incessantly, every single person I know in fucking IRL or cyberspace seems to know all about it, yet **KidCharlemagne** somehow ends up moaning about how its not being covered enough. Fuck me. If this were getting any more attention there wouldn’t be any space left for the latest on Jessica’s split with Nick. And we wouldn’t want that, would we? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/59 "2006-02-22T03:12:34Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > I don’t get it. The fucking Danish cartoons have been all over the news like a cheap suit for fucking weeks, they’ve been the subject of dozens of threads on this very board, right-wing radio knobheads like Chris fucking Baker have been bloviating about it incessantly, every single person I know in fucking IRL or cyberspace seems to know all about it, yet **KidCharlemagne** somehow ends up moaning about how its not being covered enough. I think he’s angry that some anti-cartoon riots in Nigeria targeted Christians, and they did not get enough media coverage for his tastes. To be fair, I was unaware of those specific riots; the news media spent far too much time over the past week focusing on the total non-issue of Cheney shooting someone in the face (although there’s disturbing new evidence that [The White House had Prior Knowledge of Cheney Threat](http://www.theonion.com/content/node/45572)) Daniel ---
**Author:** ![aurelian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@aurelian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurelian)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519/60 "2006-02-22T03:14:30Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > How many US papers have published the cartoons? Last I heard it was one in New York. Any others? Any number even remotely close to the number that published those that I mentioned? Mista Kottah! Mista Kotta! One of the student-run dailies at UW ran them. Well, I suppose that’s to be expected, though, what with the Pulitzer Prize winning journalism of undergraduate newspapers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-msm-just-fuck-you/345519.md?page=4)