The mysterious case of Ms. Carrie Prejean

[kandrathe]

... First, they control what you say. ...

Yes, not to be distracted by the fluff, it is about an organized attempt to discredit people. I believe it is a misuse of "free speech" for media to be used in this way, and when it is done politically, it does smack of a propaganda smear campaign.

That was really my point, like with any political figure, or any person of sudden renown, there is this rumor mill mud flinging campaign meant to cast doubts or damage someone. This really is the juxtaposition of the rights of people to publish/speak what they like opposed to a person keeping parts of their life private. Michael Phelps is another case where knowing about his self medication was something that the public should never have been informed. Maybe, if he was arrested, then it, being in the public record would make it press worthy.

First, whatever a persons politics, I think the practice of the press performing an extensive background examination on people needs to end. For the most part, I feel it should be up to the individual to determine what aspects of their life they would like to reveal. For a person running for high office then, it may in fact be expedient to self reveal an accurate accounting of their past. Ms. Prejean was not trying to be involved in the question of gay marriage, but in asking the question she was propelled into the melee. She just wanted the fluffy title of Miss USA, not a media firestorm, and not an activist career for the Moral Majority.

Second, if someone sends something to the media that is private, and was performed in private, then it should remain in private. The media used to follow this rule, and in the past showed more restraint when censoring itself. Like I said before, they have abused their free speech rights to the point of defamation, libel and slander.

Third, I think Shadow is right. Technology has led to the erosion of privacy, and it may be time to strengthen the laws regarding the distribution of unauthorized recordings, or photographing of another person without their consent. This goes triple for the paparazzi following around people of interest trying to get a statement or photograph, or using 10000x photo lenses to capture fuzzy nudes of public people in their own homes. We are at the point now with Ms. Prejean where having exhausted the unauthorized photos from her modeling photo shoots, they are resorting to Photoshop to discredit her. I can only deduce that "they" believe that Christians should also all be prudes and dress like the fundamentalist Mormons. And then, finding one in a bikini, or modeling is sooooo shocking!