How Magnanimous

I see that the Indy Star's resident "thinking man's conservative" Tim Swarens has made a concession to reality so magnanimous, so big-hearted, that even this card-carrying liberal just can't help but applaud.

What is this concession, you ask?

 A political leader assaulting a journalist is simply unAmerican and unjustifiable, regardless of party, and should be condemned from all sides.

Well, that sure is groundbreaking. Why, I remember the good ol' days when it went without saying that physically assaulting someone for doing his job was wrong! How soft we used to be!

Of course, Swarens can't help but throw in some good ol' fashioned "both sides do it" arguments.

Before something even worse happens, it’s imperative for both sides — conservatives and journalists — to step back and rethink how they approach each other. As one of those rare people who is both a journalist and a conservative, let me offer a few thoughts for both camps.

So, to be clear, journalists need to stop asking difficult questions about policy, and contemporary "conservatives" need to stop reacting violently to these difficult questions. Uhhhhh.

Blame the media is an old game on the right, and one too often used to cover up real mistakes and weaknesses. And it’s ultimately self-defeating for conservative ideas and values if leaders attempt to avoid hard questions by constantly trotting out the “you can’t trust the media” defense. 

OK. I think Good Cop just came back into the room. I agree with this statement wholeheartedly. The corollary that I would add for our benevolent Republican overlords, particularly here in Indiana, is that if your policies are so good, you should not have to lie about them to sell them.

Let me say that again.

If your policies are so good, you should not have to lie about them to sell them.

Now, here comes the Bad Cop again.

For my fellow journalists, I’d like to suggest that we call on one of our most important qualities — our insatiable curiosity — to help build bridges to conservative audiences. I get that the vast majority of you line up on the left, and there’s little chance that will change anytime soon.

Tim, perhaps journalists line up on the side of objectively verifiable truth. Perhaps they live in the reality based universe. Perhaps it is true that facts have a well-known left-wing bias.

The most common complaint I hear from conservative readers — and I’ve talked to a lot of them over the years — is that journalists show an utter lack of respect for who they are as people and for their values.

I have nothing but respect for who conservatives are as people. I live in Speedway and am surrounded by conservatives (at least those who lean conservative on national issues . . . I believe these labels are essentially meaningless at the local level). However, (1) be explicit as to what those values are, and (2) respect goes both ways my friend.

Here comes Big Tim's Big Takeaway:

What happened Wednesday night in Montana is wholly unacceptable, especially in a democracy dependent on free and aggressive journalism. All of us, on the right and the left, need to reflect on what we can do to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

So, those of us on the left, who did not body slam or punch any journalists in the face, need to reflect on how we can make sure this never happens again? Those of us on the left who have never demonized the media, including Fox News (the largest single member of the media and a house organ for the Republican party), have to reflect on what we can do to make sure it doesn't happen again?

Come on Tim. You're better than this, even if you are part of the RepublIndyStar staff.