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Discussion » Questions » Politics » I read in an article today that Steve Bannon tells us that the Press should keep it's mouth shut. Do you agree? How's that free speech?

I read in an article today that Steve Bannon tells us that the Press should keep it's mouth shut. Do you agree? How's that free speech?

The Times reports today that,  Steve Bannon, said the press should “keep its mouth shut” because it did not “understand this country”.

That's real thought-provoking is it not? From several aspects!  SO the most influential advisor to the Trump regime would have the press only report twee feel good stories that support Trump? Is that how a democracy works? Sounds a bit dictatorship to me when they start muffling the press? America believes, (quite rightly!) in free speech.. but now we are being told that the press shouldn't report what they want? Interesting!

I am told by American's that the press there isn't that free there as it is, much doesn't get reported, so I am told; what the public get to hear is decided by big corporations. That's bad enough but this seems to be saying that they shouldn't report anything that disagrees with Trump at all? Wouldn't that make it even harder for the citizens of America to know what's going on? Surely the populace have the right to hear both sides and that includes not hiding things from them?  Perhaps it's just me but that seems wrong!

The ironic thing is that this story is about Trump's potentially getting revenge by not attending a press dinner, and get this, one of the purposes is to, "celebrate the first amendment [for free speech] and the role an independent press plays in a healthy republic.”  snigger - ya gotta laugh!

My other thought was that it was interesting that Steve Bannon was saying that these American press men and women even don't seem to have the right to speak out and say what they want, cos they apparently don't know the country. Wow gee so now even Americans apparently don't know the country.. lol well it's no wonder us foreigners don't have a clue then :P Personally I thought it utterly ridiculous that he seemed to be saying Americans, who live there don't know the country? I could understand them saying foreigners don't but Americans???

Posted - February 12, 2017

Responses


  • 5808
    Bannon should should shut his mouth...
      February 12, 2017 12:54 PM MST
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  • 7775
    Bannon has his head up his own butt. Just like a few people on this very website. Not you though. You're cool. This post was edited by Zack at February 12, 2017 1:31 PM MST
      February 12, 2017 12:56 PM MST
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  • 44177
    Bannon is scary...he is trump's puppet master.
      February 12, 2017 12:57 PM MST
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  • 13251
    This is the exact quote: 

    “The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for a while,” Mr. Bannon said in an interview on Wednesday.

    “I want you to quote this,” Mr. Bannon added. “The media here is the opposition party. They don’t understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States.”

      February 12, 2017 1:05 PM MST
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  • Interesting.. is there a video of the whole thing?  I would still question the point that anyone should say that about a fellow American.. surely any and all Americans have the right of free speech and that includes the press.. Surely the whole press can't be against Trump? If it is that sure says something! But that's unlikely to be true.. so surely press has the right of free speech..  

    I found it exceedingly strange, as i said, that any American should say that American's don't understand the country.

    As to the quote about not understanding why Trump is prez, lol well that's just about half the country and pretty much every other country in the world
      February 12, 2017 1:11 PM MST
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  • 6023
    He's right.

    The press, for the most part, does NOT understand the American People ... and should get out to the hinterlands (aka "fly over country") and listen to the people more.

    Of course, the same is true to the vast majority of the political elite.

    Both groups are isolated with themselves ... surrounded by people who think the same way they do.  The irony is that they are the ones telling everyone else to get diversified.
      February 12, 2017 1:13 PM MST
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  • Seriously???  SO in effect American people, be they rich or poor are somehow NOT able to understand the country? Even tho they live there? And the newspapers are 'political elite' - not journalists?  Not people? Not Americans?

    But the AMerican people voted in the majority for Clinton... it was just an anomaly of the system that means the majority don't get what they want, the system works differently.. against the people.  So from this we could be forgiven for thinking that the *people* didn't and don't want Trump.

    And these people... that think Trump speaks for them and is on their side.... I wonder how they marry that with the fact that Trump has never been one of them, he's never been poor, he's had a privileged upbringing.. one of these elite to which you refer.... but somehow they think he gives a toss about them? 
      February 12, 2017 1:47 PM MST
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  • 6023

    You obviously misunderstood my point.

    The "political elite" are politicians who separate themselves from their constituents by living in Washington DC and state capitals, seldom going back to their districts other than to run for re-election.

    Those "political elite" and the major media (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, MSNBC, CNN, etc) surround themselves with "like thinking" people - and so are out of touch with what the majority of Americans feel.  All they see are mirrors of their own opinions.

     

    As to the Electoral College ... that was not an anomaly.  That is how it is designed to work.  If you read the writings of the Founders, you know they did not trust the average person.  And they had good reason.  The average person is too dumb and/or lazy to deserve the vote.  That is why the majority of people will vote for their Party, no matter what ... or not vote at all. >  Unfortunately, the Electoral College is controlled by the "Big Two" due to state laws.  Thus, the "all or nothing" Electoral System in most states.  Neither party is willing to change to a ratio system, because it would make it more difficult for them to keep out Third Parties.

    And the majority of people didn't want Clinton, either.  There is a big difference between majority of voters, and majority of eligible voters ... let alone majority of citizens.  In fact, BOTH candidates had the lowest approval rating of any major party candidate in the last 100 years.

      February 12, 2017 2:20 PM MST
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  • 154
    Well said!!
      February 12, 2017 8:31 PM MST
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  • Well said. 
    As long as the.media keeps portraying Trumps followers as a bunch of uneducated racist yahoos, they keep showing that they indeed.do.not understand how this clown made.it to power. 
    I think your second paragraph is brilliant.
      February 12, 2017 9:10 PM MST
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  • 372
    Ther American Press is the freest press in the world. You can find every point of view expressed. Some media are owned by large corporations and some are independently owned. No matter - editorial policy is usually free to say what it will in the case of large corporations. When it's not, everybody knows it and reacts accordingly.

    Tne main stream media tries hard to report objectively on Trump, but his statements are so outrageous with simple reporting reflecting back his own actions, he makes himself look like a buffoon. 

       
      February 12, 2017 1:25 PM MST
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  • Well maybe not THE freest in the world.. one of the freest maybe but not THE freest as that contradicts what many Americans say.. they say much of what is printed is biased one way or the other. I am happy to hear otherwise as it's vital that people are able to hear both sides and make up their own minds. I know peeps who know both here and there and say our press is much freer... perhaps they are even.. who knows? 

    But I think the point here was more that Bannon, a very influential part of the Trump regime, seems to be suggesting that the press should be muffled and not allowed to say what they believe to be true. That's worrying as even if you currently have free press, that looks to be in danger under the Trump administration? 
      February 12, 2017 1:52 PM MST
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  • 372
    "Many Americans" is a meaningless phrase. You would need to know what ALL Americans say - but obviously an impossibility. Bias in the media has nothing to do with freedom of the press. In fact, an argument could be made that the greater the bias the freer the press. And X's bias is Y's truth.

    I know people who know both the USA and UK and say the USA is much freer.

    The Trump administration poses no danger to a free press. They may try to muffle the press but they don't have a chance in succeeding. 
      February 12, 2017 2:42 PM MST
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  • 2658
    A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.  He has a sharp tongue and much of what he says is arrogant/ignorant.
      February 12, 2017 1:29 PM MST
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  • 1233
    Telling someone to shut up is not taking their free speech. It only violates their rights when you make them do so with force / intimidation. 

    Independent press means independent from everything not just the current administration. While it's an ideal to strive for, only a fool would seriously believe that the press is truly independent. The western media, until very recently, was completely dominated by a megacorporate cartel that serves the establishment's interests.

    The rise of internet based alternative media has provided some alternative perspective. Though sadly most people still don't have a thought in their head that the establishment didn't place there.

    You quoted him out of context to mischaracterize his remarks. The full quote was.
    -------
    “The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for awhile,” Bannon said, in an interview. “The media here is the opposition party. They don’t understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States.”
    -------

    He was saying that the media is out of touch with the American people. The media said Trump had no chance of winning and yet he did. Brexit was similar. The mainstream put Brexit 10 points behind and yet it won. 

    Therefore they either knew he had every chance of winning and lied, or they had such incredibly poor judgment they failed to see it coming. Either way their analysis ain't worth sh*t. The mainstream media seem genuinely mystified that their ratings are imploding. 

      February 12, 2017 1:34 PM MST
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  • Taking the first point. Telling someone to shut up isn't disrespecting their right to speak? It's only that if intimidation is used? Well being a Brit language is my thing so here goes... telling someone to shut up means you do not believe they should speak. In this case he said, quite clearly that the press shouldn't speak at all.  He made rude comments and hurled insults about them and their right to comment.. that's a form of intimidation.. when we speak that way we are trying to belittle and intimidate.. For sure the press are not likely to be that intimidated but the language is that of intimidation and of seeking to remove another's right to speak.. just saying..
      February 12, 2017 1:56 PM MST
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  • Part two... I am aware of the full quote, many thanks to Stu for pointing that out -  I looked it up. Encouraging to see it in an American article :) Reassures me no end.  However, being a language buff, it is clear that the extended quote does little to change what was said. He still did say they should shut up.. he also said that they should LISTEN.. seriously?? Telling them what to do??? free press???  That was the point really.. in a country that believes in free press and free speech.. no one should be seeking to tell them what to do.. The fact was when he said it he meant it.. and his intention was to have them shut up AND be told what to do by him/the Trump regime.. so the points still stand.. 

    Re Brexit.. SOME papers said we'd remain.. some.. not all and not even the majority, indeed quite the opposite .many of the papers were leaning towards Brexit.. it's possibly, ( i cannot say as I haven't researched) true that POLLS predicted we'd Bremain.. but you and I both agree on that point.. polls are almost always wrong... and always have been .. so no one with any sense really pays attention to polls.. but we weren't talking polls were we.. we were talking about press and the right to speak and report freely.

    https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2016/may/23/if-so-many-newspapers-back-brexit-why-will-remain-carry-the-day


    As I say I cannot find evidence that the papers predicted remain.. I felt a) they tend not to predict, that's not newspapers job.. b) many were in fact pro-Brexit, certainly there was no mainstream prediction of Brexit or Bremain.
    H
    ere's one that deals with POLLS, 

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/682990/Brexit-EU-referendum-polls-wrong-predictions-2015-election

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/680502/Brexit-will-Britain-leave-EU-referendum-2016-latest-polls-predictions-odds-research
    This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at February 12, 2017 10:28 PM MST
      February 12, 2017 2:06 PM MST
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  • 1233
    There is no intimidation without a threat and he made none.

    "Shut up and listen!" has a complete different meaning to "Shut up!". "Shut up and listen" is criticizing someone for their lack of interest in understanding others. It has nothing to do with freedom of speech.

    "The fact was when he said it he meant it.. and his intention was to have them shut up AND be told what to do by him/the Trump regime.. so the points still stand.. "

    He was urging them to shut and listen to the people not him or Trump personally.

    The media can do whatever it wants. Though if it doesn't acknowledge that Trump's ideas are mainstream and become more respectful of those that hold them, bankruptcy awaits them. 

    This post was edited by Zeitgeist at February 14, 2017 8:57 PM MST
      February 12, 2017 2:31 PM MST
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  • Well respectfully your understanding of language is different to mine and many others.. shut up is bad enough, shut up and listen is twice as arrogant as you are issuing two dictates rather than one.. you are not only telling someone to shut up but you are telling them they should listen, presumably to them..  it's debatable whether he meant to him/Trump, or the people, but either way implying he speaks for the people is hyper-arrogant.. as most of the American populace did not vote for the Angry Satsuma. 

    Urging is very different to telling.. and that was telling not urging... We Brits are sticklers for the accuracy of language.. and me even more so. 

    Technically speaking it is not accurate to say that there is no intimidation without a threat.. intimidation can occur when one feels belittled and insulted, it can be a drip, drip affect when one is constantly belittled and insulted..  a threat can also be an implied one.

    Again accuracy is everything. 
      February 12, 2017 3:33 PM MST
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  • 1233
    Threat can be implied yes. When one individual tells another individual to shut up there could be implied threat of violence etc. Though that is not the case here. One man can't exert any threat on a worldwide institution. It's toothless.

    Telling is urging unless you have the power to force compliance, which Bannon doesn't.

    We are not responsible for other people's feelings. Insults are a necessary part of free speech. No one is entitled to respect. I'm always amazed how deftly the left switch between aggression and playing the victim. I have no time for it. I don't care about their feelings. They have right to speak, not be respected.

    Just because someone FEELS intimidated by Bannon doesn't mean he has intimidated them. Wrongdoing exist in the objective actions of the perpetrator not the subjective mind of the victim. If anyone felt intimidated by Bannon they're just weak paranoid little snow flakes who deserve the mocking contempt of everyone. This post was edited by Zeitgeist at February 14, 2017 9:03 PM MST
      February 12, 2017 4:18 PM MST
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  • Im never disappointed reading your words. It's always exactly what I expect.
      February 12, 2017 9:07 PM MST
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  • Of course they should ... Sheesh... We keep getting the wool nice and snug across your eyes and the blasted press keeps lifting it and letting the light in .. how is this trick supposed to work if they keep letting the light in?
      February 12, 2017 3:19 PM MST
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  • 5835
    It used to be said that the people assumed the press spoke with the voice of authority, while the government assumed the press spoke with the voice of the people. Nobody assumes either of those things any more, but the press is still speaking as much as ever.
      February 12, 2017 6:55 PM MST
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  • 154
    Really? 
    Hush and listen does not to me mean lack of free pres.
    I wonder why the U.K. is so hung up on Trump my gosh it's only been 3 weeks. Doesn't the UK have enough problems of their own? I see no one on here hating on the UK.  Give the man a chance:
      February 12, 2017 8:41 PM MST
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