The Seven Deadly Sins of the Press:

- Concentrated Power of the Big Press.
- Passing of competition and the coming of monopoly.
- Governmental control of the press.
- Timidity, especially in the face of group and corporate pressures.
- Big Business mentality.
- Clannishness among the newspaper publishers that has prevented them
from criticizing each other.
- Social blindness.
by:
Max Lerner
(1902-1992) Russian-born American journalist and educator
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Why only seven there must be many more.
 -- Waffler, Smith, Arkansas     
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    The 8th could be promotion of left wing programs and candidates for public office.
     -- jim k, Austin, Tx     
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    Yes i agree Waffer. I would add dozens, but I don't have the time, so how about all of the fluff news that is used to distract us from the real issues. Could it be that they don't want us to know what is really going on? A press that ignores the real issues, is worthless to those that want real news.
     -- Ken, Milford Pa.     
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    For education's sake, jim k, the American Revolution was leftist, the elimination of 12-14 hour days, 7 days a week was leftist, the elimination of child labor was leftist, social security was leftist, half the parks, bridges, hospitals, highways, etc. in this country today were built by leftists and during a period when money was impossible to make, women suffrage was leftist, Medicare was leftist, free public education was leftist, habeus corpus was leftist, Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin were leftists. Unless you're a multi-millionaire who doesn't give a damn about the human race you should thank your lucky stars for leftists.
     -- Dick, Fort Worth     
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    Jefferson did indeed talk about a type of free education, but we must never be so naive as to think that even the term "liberal" hasn't changed in over two hundred years. Yes, our founders were considered "liberal" -- more so in the now internationally used context of the word (international liberals are more aligned to current American conservatives). The problem is, modern day "conservatives" aren't really conservatives anymore. This damn new neo-conservative ideology that's swept the American right over the last 4 decades is absolutely hideous! It's ignorant to force the founders into modern definitions of "conservative" or "liberal", because truth is both sides have ventured so far off what this nation was founded on that neither side can legitimately, philosophically, or ideologically claim the absolute doctrines of our founders anymore. Both sides have some great points, while in other ideas they miss the entire concept.
     -- Logan, Memphis, TN     
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    Great Dick, and as we know Jim K believes every University and their studies are leftist. Anytime two or more people get together it is a leftist meeting. What Jim K and his ilk really are, are Stalinists or some other type of totalitarian. The concept Logan misses is that the founders never intended to dictate a language or thought pattern for all time. Hell that certainaly is not freedom. Foremost they were for freedom.
     -- Waffler, Smith, Arkansas     
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    I don't know whether to give this quote thumb down or 5 stars or not rate it at all. I would not have rated this, if the political influence in the current media and press were not so blatant. Yes, my friends, I am talking about "talking heads" that we listen to and read on a daily basis, as if their punditry is a doctor prescribed dose of sanity. What irks me the most above all else, is the hypocrisy of it all. So called balanced media are filled with partisans, both left and right. The recent move of NBC to take Keith and Matthews off the live political events is a clear indication of political rights' hegemony on the basic principal of our rights to hear the both side. Funny thing is, these two are pure partisans and pure talking heads that I full heartedly decree because of their inability to report from a neutral perspective. This is a cancer that we must cure. Our individual LIBERTY is at stake!
     -- RKA, Wasilla, AK     
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    Dick speaks of the battle for power and control, and the 'left' is being attributed to those who have resisted the 'authority' and control of those who have laid claim to them -- a far cry from what the left cries for now. And to continue Dick's list (dubious as some parts may be) of 'leftist' accomplishments, we can also thank the left for the millions slaughtered during and after the Communist revolutions in Russia and China. And let's not forget that wonderful leftist and nationalist social democrat, Adolf Hitler. The purpose of the American Constitutional republican form of government was to BALANCE power between church and state, executive and legislative, aristocrat and pleb, rich and poor, employer and employee, land owner and tenant, old and young, man and woman, upon the founding principles of the inalienable Rights of Man. The adherence of which would remedy the ills of feudalism, monarchy, democracy, hegemony, servitude, and tyranny. Liberty and Justice for all is our creed, left and right -- that IS the Union. We still have far to go to embrace these ideals, but they are none-the-less our Founding Charter and the principles upon which many have given their lives. Should either the left or the right become supreme, we will but fly in circles. One world is enough for all of us -- for a while anyway, because we are all on a one-way ticket to the grave. Let's not be in a hurry. Freedom comes first, no matter how noble the goals of a political faction. We are self-governing -- not to be confused with majority rule -- you rule yourself and choose your representatives in council. Our sovereign rights come first, and if we respect that in everyone, there is no bridge we cannot build, no tyrant that can stand, no obligation to submit to another. Goodness, compassion, wisdom, charity -- none of these things can be enforced, only embraced by the willing. Believe that, and you will understand what the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution for the United States of America was all about.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    Good phrase, "you rule yourself and choose your representatives in council". Very well said Archer, thank you. The greatness of our founders, strengths in a select and small group of men, was that they looked throughout history to see the patterns that existed in every culture and civilization. Do cultures change? Yes. Do civilizations change? Do threats change? Yes. Are there absolutes that will forever be? Absolutely! I need food to live, water to drink, and air to breath -- the founder's resolved and reasoned the liberty was as universal and as eternal as the need for these elements of life. Each generation is epochcentrist in their time, but only the naive and ignorant use epochcentrism to rewrite history, because such people do not understand the patterns of history wherein the founders truly were educated and knowledgeable to see the principles of liberty that transcend epochcentrism. This is yet another reason why they deplored Democracy and sought to establish a government on eternal absolutes and natural law, wherein the majority would find more longevity in adhereing to nature than simply to epochcentrist group-think in continuing a society of manifest liberty and freedom.
     -- Logan, Memphis, TN     
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    Why only seven deadly sins of the Press? Isn't it obvious Mr. Lerner was paraphrasing the Seven Deadly Sins, or Mortal Sins, of the early Catholic Church, which, themselves were based on an admonition set forth in the Old Testament, namely: Pride, Envy, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, and Wrath? Why just seven? Are there really only seven wonders of the ancient world? or is all the navigable water in the world limited to the seven seas? Seven is almost a sacred number going back to the story of the seven days of Creation. So that's why the quote reads as it does.
     -- Jack, Green, OH     
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    I would like to ask Jim of Austin why it is any more a sin to promote left wing programs than right wing ones. Isn't that the idea of a free press ..to allow anyone to promote any idea he sees fit? Why is that a sin if I state my liberal views? I guess you feel there is only one side to be heard and anything else is a sin.
     -- Jack, Green, OH     
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    Some can't tell their left from their right ! Whose liberality and what type. Foundational Doctrine, Nadiyb vs Brakah liberality and its many shadings. misrepresentation by Dick, Fort Worth. Nadiyb, liberal, ( grandee, sometimes a tyrant ) always want's another's glory ! You can hear the wheels turning. Whose fishing ? and where is the bait ? No better way, than our founding Fathers and their application of Natural Law. Children must learn to read, write and apply mathematics. Just as there are 360 degrees in a circle, there are 12 houses in the heavens. All co-inside to declare absolute truth of doctrine and knowledge applied. The rule with which it is measured eludes most all. But some knowing it exist. There are no bad notes in the scale. Every eight note is a new beginning. Deep and hidden things to dig out of the Rock. The " Headstone " with those " Seven Eyes ". For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. Isaiah 28:20 KJB. If one wishes to find sound doctrine, look in the Rock upon which the Republic rest. Dust the foundation off, then you see where to stand. There are other things made to play in the deep, swimmer beware. Wisdom, she hath hewn out her seven pillars. just as there are seven abominations in the heart. She has also mingled her wine ! Very old game , numbers and stripes, but sure helps to see in the night. The very relationship of nations when applying time and event with individuals, is clearly seen. Isaiah 51:5 That which is in the reveling of such a Mighty thing, our Founders were not ignorant of. Nor was king James.
     -- Ronw13, Yachats Or     
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    What Dick didn't mention is that lefties do all these things he mentioned with someone else's money and resources.
     -- ccal, Lewisville     
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     -- Mike, Norwalk      
    " The simplest of things, bring the greatest of Joy. God Bless, ALL, this season of Harvest. Please set strife aside , feed each other. Look and listen ! God Bless each and everyone ! Hot fires blow, on the coldest of nights !! Semper FI
     -- Ronw13, Yachats Or     
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    Dick, Les Miserables were in Europe, not the USA -- the European still bound to the destiny of the ruling class. Your reference to 'leftists' are actually classic 'liberals' not social democrats (socialists). The Democratic Party has been co-opted by socialist ideology, and thus the redefinition of the word 'liberal' to mean its opposite, socialism -- i.e. State control over everyone and everything. Of course, today's establishment Republicans are not liberal in the classical sense either. Both establishment parties represent STATISM, the supremacy of the State over the citizen -- completely backwards from the republican form of government guaranteed by the US Constitution in which the citizen is sovereign over himself and hires representatives in matters of State.

    Classic liberalism and progressive liberalism have been and will always be at odds with each other -- will the real liberal please stand up...
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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     -- Mary, MI      

    Dick, please define the measurement and scale that you are using to state “leftist”. Your list didn’t include the left of legal positivism’s slavery, immorality, poverty, anti-personal responsibility, an elitist cast system, an occupying statist theocracy that infests this land with compelled compliance, victimless crimes, government licenses, larceny with impunity (2nd plank of the communist manifesto, Social Security, police state confiscations, etc.), financial degradation and NON recognition of personal sovereignty, inalienable rights, liberty and nature’s law - all such being leftist.

    The founders and ideologues of the “American Revolution” were “ANTI” socialism of your word salad (communism being left / fascism being right - another scale may be slavery / socialism left - personal sovereignty, inalienable rights, liberty, nature’s law & justice on the right). The anticipated jurisprudence of the de jure States united was to be the: “laws of nature and of nature’s God” which had neither a left or right but rather, the administrations of absolutes such as chemistry, physics / science, math, gravity, life, liberty, inalienable rights and property.

    Your leftist version of free education is ecclesiastical seminaries for indoctrination (government schools). Your socialism’s leftist version concerning child labor is a lie - child labor is an issue of nature’s law concerning natural development of individual sovereigns. Your leftist park, bridge, etc. building is also a deception of the ignorant. Individual sovereigns united brought about such. Habeas Corpus is in fact a mechanism to protect against leftist tyranny. Your lie told often enough becomes the truth (Lenin) is a diversion to enslave.


     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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