Government visits are a good reason to practice defensive journalism
Monday, September 28, 2009 at 4:14PM
Updated on Monday, September 28, 2009 at 4:58PM by
Kay B. Day, Editor
Cover of the Southern Poverty Law Center 'Intel Report' for 2009. The report broadens the vast right-wing conspiracy by lumping all conservatives together in a fictional "patriot" movement, alleging coalescence. [Screen capture from SPLC website.]I admit when I see government agencies on my website, readily identifiable by both domain name and IP number, it gives me pause. One example was the story I did on social security awhile back. Hundreds of readers from the agency came to my pages. There’s nothing like critting the agency holding all the keys to your identity.
Military entities, law enforcement and—worst of all—large trial lawyer groups spend time here. I practice defensive journalism, by the way, with an eye on survival during these times.
I had an ‘aha!’ moment on Sunday as I fact-checked Associate Editor Chris Carter’s article about the Southern Poverty Law Center. This influential center has made history, by setting right a number of wrongs. But as Main Streeters of all races co-exist fairly peacefully, if you discount gangs and domestic abuse, social justice organizations are having to become more creative to justify their existence.
