- Joined
- Apr 18, 2010
- Messages
- 14,376
- Reaction score
- 10,211
If you aren't familiar with UK libel laws then you aren't really in an intellectual position to comment on the matter intelligently or fairly.
I didn't speak about the matter of libel at all. I didn't speak to the media "lying" or committing any crime of the sort. You're coming out of left field talking to me about it and I have no idea what you're talking about. I literally said I wouldn't call it conspiracy theory to presume that media outlets that don't like Russell would gobble up this information and use it accordingly and to its utmost damage to Russell. I'm all for your input on libel but I'm not sure why it's directed at me. If you're asserting that all of these allegations must be true because the Times wouldn't open themselves up for litigation unless Russell was 100% a rapist I don't know how to help you.
I think that's pretty much a textbook conspiracy theory. You're theorizing that they're conspiring against him with no evidence at all. The motive sounds a bit ridiculous, and the mechanism is unexplained. The straightforward explanation is rejected without any clear basis.
But I didn't do that...I didn't say there wasn't evidence. I mean, there isn't evidence really I suppose, it's conjecture and accusation and probably not any meaningful physical evidence to examine or go by. I guess it was in my f/u post but, what I am meaning to say is, it isn't a big jump to be slanted toward thinking media outlets that Russell actively campaigns against would welcome this allegation with or without veracity and use it as advantageously as possible. As I've said, you never really recover from this allegation even if it's proven completely fabricated (such as the Duke LaCrosse team). it's like wrestling a pig in the mud. Dismissing all of this without prejudice is just giving in to your own bias and conspiracy proclivities, sure, but the scales are easy to tip that direction given the circumstances. I guess is what I'm saying.
I think there has been a move of both CT nutters toward the right (as a political coalition--some claim leftist ideals) and of educated, sane folks toward the left. White college-educated voters were around 50/50 as late as 2000, and non-college whites were around 50/50 that same year. Now it's high-50s/high-30s. I think in the early '10s, anti-vaxers were on both sides but more commonly on the left, while that's an extreme rightist thing now. 9/11 Truthers were similar in that they were on both sides but probably more on the left. That CT has faded, but it flipped in the '10s IIRC.
That's about right. When the crash happened in 2008 there was a lot of leftists beating the war drum about the politicians, media and wall street all being in bed and in on the money making schemes that up ended the economy. Now if you talk about that it seems that comes from a middle right or middle slightly left perspective, as opposed to what use to be a blue haired vegan position 15 years ago.