release

Daily Kos member Acaben knows Ben Domenech:

For over a year I played in a regular poker game that Ben also frequented. These days the game has dwindled to once every month or so, but we still meet over cards and chips and beer and have a good time. In fact, I saw him this past Sunday.

Domenech and I don’t agree on a lot of things, perhaps even most things. Some of what he’s written in the past on his blog I disagree with vehemently. The politicians he’s worked for I disagree with vehemently. The authors he works for I disagree with vehemently. Though we agree on very little politically, this diary isn’t about our disagreement about ideas. We handle that by being able to carry forth a conversation about our views of the world without resorting to name calling and insults.

As it turns out, I know Domenech and Acaben (whose real name is Ben Stanfield). I’ve been to one or two of those poker games, before I fled the nation’s capital for more civilized climes. Both are good guys, for whom repect and civility are their priamry mode of discourse.

That is why it is unsurpsing, yet worthy of pointing out, that left-leaning Deaniac Acaben has risen to right-leaning Domenech’s defense against those on the left who would demonize him.

(OK, neither one “leans” - both jut out nearly paralell to the ground - but you get my point.)

These are two class acts from opposite camps, and if more people behaved they way they do, our world would be more than a little better off.

UPDATE: After falsely accusing Domenech of racism (among other detestable personal attacks) didn’t stick, his detractors found something that did: an apparent history of plagiarism. I say “apparent” because as I write this I haven’t seen any response from Domenech, but as we lawyers say, the prima facie case is there. Also, the Post has announced his resignation.

If true, the plagiarism is troubling, especially considering that Domenech makes his living as a writer. The disappointment that causes me doesn’t even begin to match my disgust for the people who tried to tar him with the racism slur, or attacked him for being white, conservative, and even home-schooled. The other stuff is nonsense on its face, so I feel the need to address the racism charge here.

At the time of the Coretta Scott King funeral, Domenech called her a “communist,” based on her work decades ago with communist-related groups. He made no reference to her race, nor did he imply that she was in any way a bad person, aside from the suggestion of her ideology. Frankly, it was bland stuff compared to some of the things that the left-wing blogonauts have been saying about Ben and his family. But it was, in no way, shape or form, “racist” and to call it such robs the word of meaning.

I’m dismayed to learn about Domenech’s problems with proper attribution, but I’m downright terrfied that the Kossack moral code might start to gain some traction in this world. Because, if we’re being perfectly honest with ourselves, this digital lynch mob had no interest in journalistic integrity, any more than they did when it was Dan Rather being called on the carpet. They just wanted to destroy someone they disagreed with.

UPDATE: Tom points out that Salon’s article on the whole affair copies a photo from bendomenech.com, apparently without permission. The editor of Salon claims it’s fair use but I think he’d have a tough road to make that defense in this case.

UPDATE: Domenech responds Domenech apologizes.