Argus Weblog is close, but not quite there as a member of the SD Blogosphere.

I must not have been paying close attention, because I hadn't noticed that the Argus Leader's weblog "Voices" has started a blogroll recognizing several South Dakota politically oriented blogs, including this website, SD Watch, CCK , SDP, and others.

Tonight, a debate is starting over at Voices because of a post explaining why they won't include a link to fellow blogger Steve Sibson's website.

I have to give the Argus credit, as they've come full circle from a couple of failed attempts at political blogging to one that actually seems to be working.

What would I attribute as the biggest reason it's working at this point? It's stripped down, and comes across with the opinion and the honesty that most people read blogs for. And it doesn't hurt that they've finally stopped trying to write off the SD Blogosphere as a bunch of simple minded pajama clad boobs, as the Argus organization had previously.

But just when you think they've got it right, they seem to take a step backwards with their post that Sibby is unfit to be included in their blogroll because of some of his views. Specifically cited as a reason he's blacklisted was a recent post in which he notes:
Note how the Argus Leader praised all three of the remaining MAINstream Country Club Republicans (Knudson, Dempster, and Olson). And they call this "a real spirit of bipartisanship". These three are Satan’s gift to the South Dakota Democrat Party, if you want to know the real spirit the Argus Leader was talking about.
Read that here. Now, do I personally disagree with some of their views? Yes, and I think nothing has done more to destroy unity in the GOP than the MAINstream coalition. Would I call them the spawn of the devil for it? No. I probably wouldn't.

So am I going to revoke Sibby's status in my blogroll and RSS feeds for his opinion? Absolutely not.

The SD Blogosphere is about open debate and opinions. To say you're excluding an opinion because they sit too far on other side of the fence for you seems somewhat defeating to that spirit. If you think about it, relate it to the Hollywood blacklisting of those writers and actors who were declared communists back decades ago. I can't imagine that today's Argus would have condoned them being shunned by the big studio organizations because those people were "too far left." So, how can they reconcile blacklisting Steve for being "too far right?"

I personally hope they'd reconsider, and include Sibby. Because if they're going to censor him based on what they don't like today, who aren't they going to like tomorrow?

So, I'd say as far as being seen as a member of the SD Blogosphere, they're almost there. Including opinions they might not agree with or care for would put them over the top.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Just another example of the hypocrisy and political correctness of the Argus and the MAINstream media. One reply to Lalley asked why blogs that call people Taliban are excused but not Sibby's Satan. Don't even need an answer to that question. I am so sick of PC-ness that I could throw up.
Anonymous said…
Makes one wonder, who would be ban from the Agrus next. They should appreciate any opinion in good taste, from their readers. I have enjoyed Sibby's posts but don't always agree with him. Let's not forget voice only the opinion that the Argus agrees with. It will make a boring blog.
Anonymous said…
The Argus is terrible!
Anonymous said…
Sibby should do the world a favor and suck on a shotgun barrel
Anonymous said…
Sibby is an idiot. Powers is an idiot.
Anonymous said…
Is there such a thing as a 'too far left' in South Dakota? Does 'too far left' mean a inch left of center? SD seems to be a pretty right-wing state.
Anonymous said…
all the left-wingers at the Argus Leader cannot stand Sibby, which is why he is great! keep sticking it to those snobby liberals at the argus Sib!
Tell Todd said…
PP:

Maybe I missed it, but I don't see that you have a link to Argus Voices in your blogroll at right. Also, are they RSS'd at left?

The print is small and my eyes aren't what they used to be.

Just wondering.

Todd Epp
Senior Blogroll Editor
S.D. Watch
http://thunewatch.squarespace.com
PP said…
Actually Todd,long ago, I added the link they had here:

http://www.argusleaderblog.com/editorial/rss.cfm

When they started blogging again. But in double checking, it looks like they changed things recently, so I also added the feed here:

http://blogs.argusleadermedia.com/voices/feed/
Anonymous said…
I don't think the Argus blog is blacklisting Sibby because he's "too far right." It's the way he expresses his opinions. Five minutes reading his blog left me with the impression that he's a lying, devisive, inflamatory, idiotic, crazy, horrible excuse for a human being.

If he expressed his opinion in a more reasonable, polite, and sane manner he would easily make it on their blogroll.
Anonymous said…
Sibson doesn't have a right to be linked on their blog, and the problem is not so much his views as his caustic, gatlin-gun style of advancing what he believes to be the truth. I'm glad they don't link to him. He's like Ann Coulter with down's syndrome. If someone wants or needs more Sibby, they know where to find him.
Anonymous said…
I have to say, I think that anon’s 2:19 and 2:46 are right.

It's not where on the political map that Sibby lives that is keeping him off the blogroll, it’s the fact that he acts like a jackass. If they were really trying to push a liberal agenda, they would add Sibby and remove some of the more insightful, intelligently written conservative blogs (like SDWC and SDPolitics). Anyone who eats/breathes/lives politics enough to be a regular reader of South Dakota Political Blogs already knows about Sibby. The Blogroll at any mainstream newspaper seems, IMHO, to be a way to take less engaged “normal” people, and give them exposure to the blogosphere. Who do we want being the face of the South Dakota Conservative Political Blogs? Sibby – who on a good day sounds like a cross between Ann Coulter and Rush? Or PP, who can and does argue intelligently about issues. Sibby is never going to change anyone’s mind that isn’t already pretty conservative. Pat might.
Anonymous said…
PP, per your comment on the Argus blog - Failure to link to Sib is not censorship. If the Argus went controlled the content on his blog, that would be censorship. Ding Dong is not entitled to a link, he has his own forum.
Anonymous said…
2:19 said Sibby leaves "the impression that he's a lying, devisive, inflamatory, idiotic, crazy, horrible excuse for a human being."
In my opinion, the same could be said for at least one lefty blog that the the Argus includes on their list.
Anonymous said…
8:10 pm...it's o.k. for the liberal media to get away with their name calling, but not o.k. for traditionalists. Just ask them, or George Soros, Dan Rather, Rosie O'Donnell, Peter Lewis, Stan Adelstein, or Kranz!
Douglas said…
Good Heavens, I guess I should also be outraged since Dakota Today hasn't made it into the Voices Blogroll list.

It appears that with the exception of Denise Ross's Hoghouse blog, the Voices list seems nearly Sioux Falls Centric or something like that.

I don't have Sibson listed on my blog either, but it has something to do with never getting any hits from his site. SD Politics is politely absurd rightwing, but I now and then get a hit from them.

I suspect the Voices people may not appreciate my view of the redesigned ARGUS as something that appears to have been put together with a manure spreader.

It is a graphics jungle with news buried in irrelevancy. I heard the publisher on SD Pub Radio claiming that people just loved the new format. Of course, it is a format that apparently Gannett is pushing all over the US with more "localism", etc. They think this is a way to keep from loosing circulation to web sites.

Anyway, Whatever else is wrong with Sibson, he at least has the guts to put his name on his blog...even if he can't stand comments. Of course SD Politics is similar in that regard.

I notice the Voices Blog did not mention Mt. Blogmore which I would guess is still head and shoulders above the ARGUS Voices blog and that is not listed because it is too liberal or too conservative.

Interesting mental masturbation can be found in all forms of media. The Argus and Sibby may appear to have a lock on it, but I am afraid not. See the anonymous posts suggesting Sibby should suck on a Shotgun, etc.
Anonymous said…
I seldom read douglas' posts because they are way too long. Maybe just the first and last sentences to have an idea what he's ranting about. That's usually enough.

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