Antonia Zerbisias provides her own account of the bloggers event in T.O. a couple of weeks and I'll be, she was kind enough to mention my site. I think this kind of discourse if very mature and I wish there was more of it Canada. In my mind the blogosphere is about the free exchange of ideas and the challenging of conventional wisdom. Ideas can be vigoursly attacked but it should never move into the realm of the personal. I am proud that she and various members of the VRWC could share a conversation over a beer and both sides come out relatively unscathed. What the heck, just because I am a right-winger doesn't mean I am not friendly.
I liked this part of the column:
...In fact, if I were running a news network, I'd give them a show. They're young, they're smart and they have plenty to say. I may not agree with their views on the Middle East or Canadian politics, but I respect them.
Besides, they're way more entertaining than most old-media pundits.
I would happily be the Don Newman of the blogosphere...welcome to the podcaaast...
This was great as well.
...As The Meatriarchy's Anthony would ask me later, did I think that, if a right-wing columnist were to crash a party of left-wing bloggers, he would get as warm a welcome? No, I admitted, but pointed out that I was way more attractive than David Frum.
I'd love to see Mr. Frum's take on that!
...But here's the thing all these guys missed: In the end, my mission was accomplished.
I did drop a bomb in the room.
Not only did I get them off my back for a while, I exposed them as eager for recognition from the old media they sneer at.
Not only did I invade the belly of the beast, I rolled it on its back — and gave it a tummy rub.
I'm not one who has had a problem with the media, I do like television and newspapers, it is the message that has bothered me and oh yeah....I do like my tummy rubbed!
Thanks for the mention Ms. Zerbisias
Damian Penny's take can be found here and Meatriarchy's take, where he is very kind to yours truly, is found here.
