Reality Liberation Front

As my beloved Rhonda often reminds me, we cannot control the actions of others…only our reactions to them. If this truly is the case, then there are a few people deserving rebuke over the handling of the story of Ashley Todd.

For those of you who may not have heard this story in the news over the last few days, here’s a quick summary:

-Ashley is a 20-year-old college student from College Station, Texas. Initial police reports claimed that Ashley reported being attacked at an ATM machine on October 22nd in Pittsburg. She claimed her assailant was a 6 foot 4 inch tall black man, and that he took 60 dollars from her.

-Ashley is a McCain volunteer. In her report to police she claimed that the attacker noticed her McCain bumper sticker and became enraged. She alleged that he made comments about teaching her a lesson, scratched the letter “B” onto her cheek, and told her she now had to support Barack Obama.

-Police were suspicious of the story from the beginning. The letter “B” was carved backwards, as if done while looking in the mirror…the ATM camera did not contain any pictures of Ashley, and it did not have an electronic record of her using the machine…she later said it was a campaign button and not a bumper sticker that angered the robber…she later added that she had lost consciousness and did not know how much money was taken…she later added that the man had also sexually assaulted her…she had a history of what the prosecutor would later call “her not insignificant mental health issues.”

-Ashley would later admit to fabricating the entire story (police believe that she inflicted the wounds on herself) and she is now facing charges.

I’m certain that anyone and everyone believe that what Ashley did was inexcusable and that she should face consequences. A consensus of judgment regarding her is not the problem…

…but what about these people:

-By now you’ve seen this picture:

But do you know who initially provided it. Ashley Todd. She posted it on her blog, and from there conservative bloggers, news organizations, and private emails disseminated it around the country…sometimes accompanied by the worst kind of incendiary and irresponsible race-baiting. The Drudge Report posted a headline in big red letters, and wrote heatedly of Ashley’s “mutilation” and “carving” at the hands of a black “Obama supporter.” Other sites included commentary along the lines of “see…this is what Obama supporters do…this is why we can’t trust Obama.  This is how much liberals hate white Americans” Don’t bother looking for these posts now…they’re all long gone…the cowards have long since shamefully deleted them.

-One of the groups that received the photo directly from Ashley was the College Republicans. They are now trying to distance themselves from this: “When Ms. Todd initially contacted us claiming to have been attacked, our first reaction was obviously to be concerned for her safety,” said College Republicans communications director Ashley Barbera. “We are as upset as anyone to learn of her deceit. Ashley must take full responsibility for her actions.” But that wasn’t the case initially was it? They weren’t simply “concerned for her safety” were they? Members of the group were quick to give interviews and post online commentary where they called for judgment to be passed on Obama and his supporters.  They called her one of there “best recruiters” and made every attempt to validate her story.

-While McCain’s campaign officially release a vague statement wishing for Ashley’s welfare…his Pennsylvania Communications Director was busy distributing the story to the media: “John Verrilli, the news director for KDKA in Pittsburgh, told TPM Election Central that McCain’s Pennsylvania campaign communications director gave one of his reporters a detailed version of the attack that included a claim that the alleged attacker said, “You’re with the McCain campaign? I’m going to teach you a lesson.” Verrilli also told TPM that the McCain spokesperson had claimed that the “B” stood for Barack. The McCain spokesperson’s claims…significant because it reveals a McCain official pushing a version of the story that was far more explosive than the available or confirmed facts permitted at the time…The paragraphs containing these assertions were quickly removed from the story after the Obama campaign privately complained that KDKA was letting the McCain campaign spin a racially-charged version of the story before the facts had been established, according to two sources familiar with the discussions.”

-John Moody, executive vice president at Fox News blogged personally about the significant of the attack, WELL before the facts were known: “[Moody]commented on his blog there that “this incident could become a watershed event in the 11 days before the election. If Ms. Todd’s allegations are proven accurate, some voters may revisit their support for Senator Obama, not because they are racists (with due respect to Rep. John Murtha), but because they suddenly feel they do not know enough about the Democratic nominee.” Curiously, he also wrote…“If the incident turns out to be a hoax, Senator McCain’s quest for the presidency is over, forever linked to race-baiting.”

So in short:

-Ashley Todd chummed the waters with her pictures and story…

-College Republicans and even the McCain campaign immediately started pimping the story to anyone who would listen

-FOX, Drudge, and a host of conservative bloggers, and even some generally-objective mainstream media outlets started running stories and writing articles featuring Todd’s pictures and language seemingly aimed at stirring both conservative and racist pathos.

But not everyone took the bait...CNN rose above it: “On CNN today, anchor Rick Sanchez did just that, naming the outlets that not only reported but actively pushed the story of Ashley Todd. In addition to explaining why his station didn’t report the story, Sanchez dug the knife in a bit deeper when it came to Hugh Hewitt, the conservative radio talk show host who appeared on CNN Thursday and blamed “that side” (i.e. the Democrats) for engaging in “extraordinarily” disturbing acts. “Part of the story is the fact that it was reported by the media,” said Sanchez. “We would not be telling the story now had it not been carried by so many outlets. As I mentioned before, it was mentioned on, as a matter of fact I have a list and not to mention names, but the initials of the news organizations are Fox News, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Newsday. And also radio talk show hosts went on their radio stations and talked ad infinitum about the story yesterday, one of them even seemingly being a braggadocio about it when he was on the air with our own Wolf Blitzer yesterday.“”

Here’s the clip…when I talk about what I expect for the Fourth Estate…this is what I mean:

Ashley Todd will no doubt pay a price for her actions…but in my mind, people and organizations who carelessly spread lies to viewers and readers across the world…should be forced to pay the exact same price. I’ve asked this before…because I’m not just referring to the “Mainstream Media“…the next time you receive that email filled with outrage and wild allegations, and are tempted to send it to all your friends and family…

…please pause to consider whether or not you should.