MSNBC Pushes Liberalism in ‘Lean Forward’ Print Ads
MSNBC's advertisements for liberalism in its “Lean Forward” campaign aren't just on TV. Near the front of this week's edition of Newsweek is a one-page print ad with a picture of Chris Matthews at a desk. Underneath that image is a hand-written message, white type on black, like a chalkboard. This is the Matthews lecture we get, in all caps: that liberals “advance liberties” and beat conservatives: Over time, people who advance liberties tend to win the argument, whether it's for women, African Americans, immigrants, or the gay community. In the end, America takes the side of the people looking for rights. Then, in larger type, and emphasized with a rectangle drawn around it is this: “THAT'S ONE OF THE WONDERS OF THIS COUNTRY. EVENTUALLY, WE LIVE UP TO OUR IDEALS.” Signed, “– Chris Matthews”. After that is the obligatory “Lean Forward” logo at the bottom. Left unexplored in this assertion is the notion that “leaning forward” in this way is not just an expansion of rights, but often a reallocation of rights. Full civil and voting rights for blacks was living up to our ideals, but “affirmative action” insisted on affirmative discrimination against whites. Some college applicants or job applicants had their “rights” limited for liberal ideals. Granting “abortion rights” to women certainly limited a baby's right to life. How granting amnesty to illegal aliens (which isn't completely explicit in this sloganeering) is living up to our founding ideals isn't explored. “Living up to our ideals” on gay rights also means an end to the freedom of people to have a “discriminatory” [ie., traditional religious] opinion on the sinfulness of homosexuality. But most of all, making liberals into the liberty-advancers of the political debate is general is ludicrous.
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MSNBC Pushes Liberalism in ‘Lean Forward’ Print Ads
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on June 10, 2011. Filed under