The Hypocrisy of Sandra Clark

This week Sandra Clark posted some random thoughts online, she lacked the courage to publish them in the print edition. In anticipation on this blog post, there is a possibility that she will delete her random thoughts. So I have copied and posted them below.

As for Sandra's comments with her and Lady Bird Johnson's explanation on the Thursday incident involving a County Commissioner, I am reminded of her careless disregard in 2006 for publishing a photograph that was printed in the Knox News Sentinel of an elected official and a political consultant both straight, the elected official married with four children and the headline she printed was "Brokeback Mountain". She came under fire for trying to "out" two guys that were not engaged in any controversial activity. She half heartedly apologized.

As for Sandra's criticism of her boss Jack McElroy's decision on comment disabling over at the Shopper's sister publication Knox News Sentinel and comparing it to the left wing loonies at Knox Views. First of all, you must be a registered user at Knox Views and may be banned. I am currently banned because I am not a left wing loony and the owner of Knox Views eliminates anyone that dains to think for themselves and not subscribe to the left wing loonies. How about Sandra at the Shopper News instead of blasting her own company for comments, turning comments on at the Shopper News website? Sandra will never do that.

Jeff Ownby: Pressure cooker – Am reminded of Lady Bird Johnson’s comment when LBJ aide Walter Jenkins was arrested with another man in a Washington restroom. This was the 1960s so Jenkins promptly resigned, after failing to suppress the story.

LBJ distanced himself from the family friend, but Lady Bird spoke about the pressures and stress of his job.

Until you’ve been there you can’t know the pressure a vote like the school board budget can bring on an officeholder. Jeff is pulled between vocal district supporters and his own connections with West High School (where principal Greg Roach left this year for a $10K raise in Maryville) versus his Tea Party political buddies who say no tax for no thing, no how.

No opinion, no solution – just an observation.

Submitted on KnoxViews by Sandra Clark on Sunday, 2012/05/27 - 1:12 p.m.

Online comments: KnoxViews had 119 comments on the Ownby situation, mostly thoughtful, by Sunday afternoon. The Knoxville News Sentinel, meanwhile, disabled its comment section with editor Jack McElroy explaining that the topic guaranteed many unacceptable comments that would have to be disabled one by one.

This begs the question: How can KnoxViews, an independent blog operated by a guy called South Knox Bubba, police its site when the KNS can’t?

And what is the future of online comments?