# Illiterate right-wing assholes gloating about newspaper closures **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 17, 2009, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724 "2009-03-17T06:00:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/21 "2009-03-17T18:57:14Z")
> [@JonScribe](#): > > Once Fox News has been in business for 146 years, get back to me on that one. So it’s ok for anyone to gloat about a newspaper failure if the newspaper has been in business for 145 years or less? (And presumably it’s ok to gloat about any tv news show which is cancelled?) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/22 "2009-03-17T22:03:15Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > And presumably it’s ok to gloat about any tv news show which is cancelled? Sure it is, buncha dagnabbit gadfly newcomers… ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/23 "2009-03-17T22:12:47Z")
> [@black\_rabbit](#): > > If Freepers are knuckle-draggers, the people who regularly post in the comments section of the online editions of major newspapers are elbow-draggers, no matter how liberal the town. Been there. try it in small town Tennessee, & see how far you get.☹ ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/24 "2009-03-17T22:18:40Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > How exactly is my opinion uninformed? I’ve read enough newspapers and watched enough tv news shows to know that many exhibit a political slant. Do you dispute this? Are you being deliberately obtuse? I haven’t seen anybody denying it, as that would be - you know - stupid. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/25 "2009-03-17T22:36:27Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Are you being deliberately obtuse? I haven’t seen anybody denying it, as that would be - you know - stupid. Another poster claimed that my opinion was “uniformed.” However, if nobody disagrees with my opinion, it’s hard to see any valid reason to object. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/26 "2009-03-17T22:45:11Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Another poster claimed that my opinion was “uniformed.” . Your opinion served in the military? I’m impressed!😃 ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/27 "2009-03-17T22:50:37Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Your opinion served in the military? I’m impressed!😃 Actually it was the Militant Wing of the Salvation Army 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/28 "2009-03-17T23:20:15Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Another poster claimed that my opinion was “uninformed.” However, if nobody disagrees with my opinion, it’s hard to see any valid reason to object. When you start out by saying “I don’t know a thing about…”, you lose any right to object when someone says your opinion is uninformed. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/29 "2009-03-17T23:51:52Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > When you start out by saying “I don’t know a thing about…”, you lose any right to object when someone says your opinion is uninformed. Let’s see if I have this straight: If I admit ignorance about some area, then my opinion about any related area is uninformed. And this is true even if nobody actually disagrees with my opinion about the related area. Is that your position? Or did I misunderstand you somehow? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/30 "2009-03-18T00:24:59Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Let’s see if I have this straight: If I admit ignorance about some area, then my opinion about any related area is uninformed. And this is true even if nobody actually disagrees with my opinion about the related area. Is that your position? Or did I misunderstand you somehow? You misunderstood. If you admit ignorance about some area, then it’s absurd for you to complain when someone says your opinion in that area is uninformed. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/31 "2009-03-18T00:29:52Z")
> [@Hunter\_Hawk](#): > > And one thing I don’t understand is why there are lots of illiterate right-wing assholes who are positively _gloating_ about this. Take a look at the comments [here](http://www.seattlepi.com/soundoff/comment.asp?articleID=403793&source=mypi) and [here](http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/reader_feedback/public/display.php?source_name=mbase&source_id=2008867983&offset=0&direction=ASC&column=create_date)–it’s both depressing and kinda scary. They’re gloating because they perceive the SPI as a “left-wing rag.” To be fair, if the _Washington Times_ were to fold, I would at least be tempted in the direction of moderate gloating. (With champagne and hookers.) ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/32 "2009-03-18T00:38:52Z")
Have never had the opportunity to read either of Seattle’s newspapers but can’t imagine them being much different from any of the other daily papers out of a major metro area. While I morn any business going under and people losing their jobs, the PI was up against some tough competition. Not only an alternate daily based in the same city but also the internet. Internet based news is taking over and the day of printing presses running overnight to publish a daily are coming to an end. I think the future portends a publication schedule of a mid week and a Sunday edition (both mainly for the benefit of advertisers). Due to today’s instant news feeds, they are stuck printing, and trying to sell, day old news that most of the news consuming public has already read about on-line. It’s a no-win situation for them. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/33 "2009-03-18T01:33:00Z")
> [@](#): > > You misunderstood. I don’t think so. I think it’s more likely that you misunderstood. > [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > If you admit ignorance about some area, then it’s absurd for you to complain when someone says your opinion in that area is uninformed. That may very well be true. However that’s not what I did. I admitted ignorance in one area and then offered an opinion about a related area. Let’s do this: In your view, what exactly is the opinion I offered which is uninformed (if any)? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/34 "2009-03-18T01:35:44Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > That may very well be true. However that’s not what I did. I admitted ignorance in one area and then offered an opinion about a related area. > > Let’s do this: > > In your view, what exactly is the opinion I offered which is uninformed (if any)? You said (paraphrased) ‘Assuming it’s biased, being happy that it’s going under is fine.’ That’s one hell of a big assumption you made there, and without even knowing anything about the paper. If that’s not an uninformed opinion, what is? ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/35 "2009-03-18T01:48:23Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > You said (paraphrased) ‘Assuming it’s biased, being happy that it’s going under is fine.’ That’s one hell of a big assumption you made there, and without even knowing anything about the paper. If that’s not an uninformed opinion, what is? An uninformed opinion would be something like “I’ve never read the SPI but I’m sure it must be biased.” As I told you, you misunderstood. I actually offered no opinion about whether SPI is biased or not. Let me ask you this. Let’s suppose that somebody makes an argument which takes the following form: > [@](#): > > I don’t know whether X is true or not. However, if one assumes that X is true, it follows that Y is true. In your view, is that person offering an opinion about whether X is true or not? Is that person offering an uninformed opinion? ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/36 "2009-03-18T02:38:40Z")
…and another thread successfully derailed by **brazil84** , Master of Equivocation. How many is that now? ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/37 "2009-03-18T02:56:16Z")
> [@Dante](#): > > …and another thread successfully derailed by **brazil84** , In this case, “derailing” would seem to equal (1) questioning the OP; and (2) defending oneself against gratuitous and/or unreasonable attacks. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/38 "2009-03-18T02:58:51Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Actually it was the Militant Wing of the Salvation Army 😃 I believe that’s the Salvation Marine Corps. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/39 "2009-03-18T03:25:22Z")
I’ll explain it for you, and I’ll type slowly so you can follow along. > [@brazil84](#): > > I don’t know a thing about the Seattle PI, but I do know that there exist news sources which are biased. You don’t know about the Seattle PI, so can offer no opinion on it. You do however know that there are biased news sources. Congratulations. > [@](#): > > Assuming that the SPI is one such news source, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to express happiness if it goes out of business. You then make an assumption, and follow with a logical conclusion based on that assumption. However, as it is an assumption and is not based on your knowledge of the actual paper, there is no need for this statement. > [@](#): > > I wonder how people on this board would react if Fox News went out of business. I wonder if you would pit anyone who gloated about it. And finally, you append this statement. As your two previous statements have a null value, this statement stands on its own. Funny enough, you could have actually had a case with this, but you decided to try and puff up your argument by blowing some smoke. I do wish you’d learn to argue more effectively. You get your ass handed to you so regularly, I wonder if you don’t have a carrying case for it. Something nice, maybe in rich brown leather? ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724/40 "2009-03-18T03:29:23Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > An uninformed opinion would be something like “I’ve never read the SPI but I’m sure it must be biased.” > > As I told you, you misunderstood. I actually offered no opinion about whether SPI is biased or not. > > Let me ask you this. Let’s suppose that somebody makes an argument which takes the following form: > > In your view, is that person offering an opinion about whether X is true or not? Is that person offering an uninformed opinion? Silly wabbit. You’re not arguing with Captain Carrot are you? Might as well yell at the trees to grow some leaves and get all summery already. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illiterate-right-wing-assholes-gloating-about-newspaper-closures/489724.md?page=3)