I did NPR’s Fresh Air yesterday, my interview being the counterpoint to one with Jose Antonio Vargas, the illegal alien Pulitzer Prize winner who used the NYT magazine to announce that he was illegal and launch his pro–Dream Act organization. Host Terry Gross is very liberal, obviously, but she was both professional and charming and the whole interview was a pleasant experience.
But the reaction from some NPR listeners was hilarious. Of course they disagreed with me, for the most part — that’s why we have political debate. But like that medical condition that causes excruciating pain from the merest touch on your skin, some NPR listeners were appalled at even being made to hear a dissenting view. In response to the online excerpts, one commenter wrote “I couldn’t read this entire article because it made me sick in my stomach . . . Shame on NPR for posting it.” And another: “Sorry, but this interview with Mr.Kirkorian really doesn’t qualify as another point of view since ignorance certainly shouldn’t count as another point of view.” And more: “What a pathetic supremacist person. This guy should not even have the opportunity to come on the show.”
The reporters and producers at NPR really have tried to put out a less biased product over the past couple of years — not just because of defunding threats but because they really do take seriously the reporter’s duty to present the news fairly. (Don’t snicker — I know a lot of them and, sure, they’re lefties marinated in a lefty environment like fish that don’t know they’re wet, but I think a lot of them have come to realize that their parochial view of things is not all there is in the world and they’re honestly, if often imperfectly, acting on that.)
But despite such efforts, NPR has a big problem with its listenership. A big part of it doesn’t want to hear anything ideologically jarring — they tune in to NPR for the same reason conservatives listen to Rush Limbaugh. And I think that puts NPR in a bind — as it tries to move away from government subsidies, its paying customers may increasingly demand it give up trying to dispassionately report the news and just go back to being a classier version of Keith Olbermann. I’m obviously not arguing for subsidies — they should all be zeroed out tomorrow. But if NPR did end up moving back in that direction, it would be a loss.
Oh yeah, Mark, I could have told you that. To someone on the left, there is simply is NO legitmate argument to oppose the current level of immigration other than the big "R."
And they really do treat it as an unjustifiable drudgery to to have to listen to other POVs. Arm youself with all the economic, budget, and crime stats you want, all you'll get is the person jamming their fingers in their ears and screaming, "YOU'RE A RACIST! YOU'RE A RACIST!"
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI agree with everything in the article. I do think many on the left - friends and family of mine, as it turns out - turn to NPR for a comfortable reaffirmation of their preconceived views: that the elites of society have it all figured out (or at least are very close to having it all figured out); that progressive views proceed apace and are coming to be accepted as the norm; that science has all the answers; that the arts and culture of our age are at new heights; etc.
One thing that I have just realized, now that I think back on it, is that NPR does not like exposing its listeners, not only to views that are outside their own, but ways of life that are outside their own (e.g., outside the way of life of the affluent suburbs and gentrified urban neighborhoods). Yes, NPR has traveling shows, but they are almost always from the perspective of the tourist, the affluent world citizen touring exotic locations to sample their charm. NPR rarely delves into, let alone spends significant time in, the factories, the mines, the stockyards, the poverty-ridden public housing projects, the shanty towns, the war zones. Events in such places are reported, but there is a comfortable distance maintained with the listener; a local or foreign correspondent who neatly summarizes the scene so the listener is not directly exposed to the grittiness and malaise of it all, but filters it carefully for the sensitivity of the listener.
Likewise with debate; there is little of the sharp debate that characterizes cable news and public discussion forums. It is all very mannerly, a conversation among gentlemen and gentlewomen, of the feeling that it will all be worked out once respectable people sit down and have a chance to talk it through. There is little to none of the heat and antagonism that characterizes the actual debates as they occur among the general public. The very thought that the prevailing view in the affluent suburbs of Washington, D.C. may not be the view commonly held among the people of the nation is not so much as considered.
NPR could dispense with all of that, but as indicated, it may very well alienate their audience.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWell put, PV. It's not just a content-thing with NPR, it's a tone-thing. And the prevailing tone there is one of boundless permissiveness as long as the perspectives are leftwards enough. Conservative voices are as welcome as foghorns in an orchestra pit.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhile NPR's liberal listeners would no doubt be offended by a more fair-and-balanced presentation, perhaps the executives should consider the non-leftists such as myself who enjoy NPR programming but tune out when it becomes Air America.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe other day, a leftwing FaceBook friend put up a post about taxes, saying we need to pay more, of course. I commented back, asking if she was proposing that the 50% of U.S. households that pay no federal income tax should be required to pay SOMETHING.
Another of her friends posted (in part), the following:
"People who trot out the canard about no federal income tax liability should be deported."
I suppose that's because if I'm deported, you don't have to worry about violating my First Amendment rights.
I see this kind of thing all the time. Lefties love diversity, as long as you don't divert from their views. If you do, shut up.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't know if its that liberals are more inclined to use Facebook as a soapbox or that conservatives are more fearful of blowback in such a wide-open forum, but I see much posting like Bernie's from hardcore libs expressing molten hatred for Bachmann or Gov. Walker and very little in the way of counterpoint.
I think this actually helps conservatives, as it presents the liberal side of things in rather overheated and aggressive form that turns off moderates and (quietly) confirms conservatives in our contrary positions. No space for more than bumper-sticker-type ideology on Facebook anyway.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"...it presents the liberal side of things in rather overheated and aggressive form that turns off moderates..."
I tend to agree, which is why I chose to respond to the demand for my deportation (to where? France, where my parents came from? I was born in New York City...) with a mild, "Deport, huh?" On a public forum like that, there's something to be said for being reasonable when your opponent is foaming at the mouth.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseEver since the obamacare debate began, I have noticed an uptick on my FB pages by the libs. I for one am not going to sit idly by and let them spout off unchallenged. I have had several old friends tell me they were offended by my comments against this monstrosity. I told them (nicely) that they were entitled to their opinion just as I was mine. Sorry if we disagree but it's not personal. It's survival. Lots of crickets now. I am refusing to back dow to some of the bullying and slams of a personal nature that appear there.
Back on point, I don't listen to NPR very often, but when I do, it's to get a sense of what they're thinking on the other side of the planet. I would concur that their POV seems to be more from an elitist angle rather than one of compassion for those they espouse to care about. They really don't like to get their hands too dirty.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"...NPR has a big problem with its listenership...they tune in to NPR for the same reason conservatives listen to Rush Limbaugh."
Huh? Limbaugh, unlike NPR, has long been known to march to his own drummer. For all his "validation." Limbaugh frequently debates with his listeners and has vocally opposed initiatives by seemingly friendly GOP administrations (e.g., G. W. Bush's illegal immigration policy).
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseActually, if you really want to stir things up with your liberal Facebook friends, say that you'll support a 19th-century immigration policy if they'll support a 19th-century business friendliness.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHeh - me like. Have to keep that one in the holster.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuseand a 19th century social policy.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI have little interest in that.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhy not? Get rid of FDR's Raw Deal and the Great Society programs.
Nothing but positives.
And Nixon's EPA, and a whole slew of other programs that do no good but prevent economic growth.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseA great - fascinating offering Mr. Krikorian.
The Democratic Partisans have no idea how tunneled they have become, how they are embracing ignorant, blind, dysfunctional "group think".
They still assume their dictatorial concepts are in the form of "classical liberalism", but their Partisan embrace is so sheltered they have become the exact opposite of open, enlightened, challenging. In NYC, they actually would advertise for roommates in apartments with the "NO REPUBLICANS" form of ugly bigotry in bold letters.
The first thing a Democratic Partisan will do upon hearing a different opinion, is to try to censure, to vilify, to threaten, etc. The bias has grown to a very ironic form of hatred. Nothing inclusive about it.
It has grown from a desperate need for acceptance, the bubble of the Democratic Partisan has born the most absurd level of "us vs. them". Perhaps it is easier to exist in life, to placate all around one, and blame all the problems on the manufactured political enemy.
But these Democrats have produced the very worst again in the Federal Government, just as they have created painful disasters for Americans in NJ, MI, NY, CA, LA, etc. Ever since 2006, we have watched the most childish nonsense, a dangerous incompetence, such as "we need to pass the bill, to see what is in it". The Carter Malaise, the Clinton Malfeasance, etc., has returned on steroids. They even still want to give foreign Terrorists the rights of US Citizens.
The disastrous Democratic Partisan experience is only going to grow the denial, bitterness, ugly nature of the Democrat Loyalist. It is going to become far worse, but they must be removed from influence. 'Smart Power' is a prime example of the dysfunction creating endless problems - enabling the very worst. Time for these Partisan listeners of NPR to be provided a healthy political intervention.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThere is an explanation for the behavior of the dyed in the wool liberals. Eric Hoffer's True Believer speaks to what you've observed.
His theory is that all mass movements ultimately devolve into a group that adheres to an all encompassing dogma. The true believer MUST believe that the dogma explains everything.
So anything that is contrary to what their dogma tells them must be wrong and it must be rejected.
Liberals are just today's version of the true believer. They are to our era what early christians were to the romans. And they are trying hard to displace the old judeo christian religions with their own blend of secularism and sharia. They seem to prefer islam because it is new to us in America and is a threat to the old order.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI stumbled upon this show myself (usually listening to NPR is akin to monitoring the enemy). A very pleasant surprise of good questions, with better answers, including those from the listeners (during the 15 minutes I heard). A great approach consisting of calmly, but rationally, answering questions without being insulted or nasty.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusetoo many NPR listeners are the same type of people in prior generations who embraced eugenics, Hilter and Stalin ...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThey still embrace eugenics and the programs of Stalin and Hitler. They just do it by different names.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMy reaction to their program segments is, more often than not, "I want to cry" and then I LOL. They relentlessly
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuseappear to want to manipulate emotions via their ‘storytelling’. No doubt during the Bush years they promoted emotive stories that stoked as much anger as possible – anything to stir up the base. Now they are just dazed, confused and sad. Nothing can done for the economy will be the next ‘meme’ they will be pushing – anything to help BHO.